James Brindley search police find body in Stoke canal

Version 0 of 1.

A body has been found in the search for a man who was last seen leaving a Christmas party, police have said.

James Brindley, 29, was declared missing after he failed to return home from the celebration in Stoke-on-Trent.

Specialist search teams retrieved a body from a stretch of canal near Ridgway Road at about 14:00 GMT on Monday, Staffordshire Police said.

The body has not been formally identified but the force said it believed it was Mr Brindley's.

The death was being treated as unexplained, the force said.

Mr Brindley was last seen leaving a city centre bar at around 01:30 GMT on Saturday morning.

After his disappearance, Mr Brindley's wallet and items of his clothing were found on the canal towpath.

Insp Andrew Chapman said the wallet contained cash, cards and identity documents belonging to Mr Brindley.