Rugby star was over drink-drive limit before storm death

Former England rugby international Tom Voyce was nearly three times over the drink-drive limit when his 4×4 was washed into a river during Storm Darragh, an inquest has heard.

The 43-year-old died while trying to cross the River Aln in Northumberland in his Toyota Hilux in December.

Coroner Andrew Hetherington ruled the death to be accidental and found that Mr Voyce had not taken his usual route home in the prevailing conditions that night.

He said flooding would have given the illusion that the road was flat, when it reality the ford he was trying to cross dropped 6ft (1.83m).

The inquest heard Mr Voyce had been at a shoot on 7 December at Glanton, near Alnwick, before going to the nearby Queens Head pub.

Hugh Wood, Mr Voyce’s brother-in-law, who was with the rugby star that night, told the hearing he saw no ill-effects in Mr Voyce and he left the pub at about 23:45 GMT.

The pub’s landlady Lisa Chisholm said Mr Voyce had drunk about four bottles of cider and although not a regular there, he was “good conversation” and stood at the end of the bar in good spirits.

Mr Voyce set off during the storm to go home, which was about eight miles (13km) away in Alnwick, the inquest was told.

Det Con Victoria Henderson, from Northumbria Police, said he drove over a ford at speed, breaking his number plate in the process, and became stuck in the high water.

Despite trying to reverse, the vehicle was washed away, the inquest heard. It was found the following day.

The Toyota was found in reverse gear, which led to the belief that Mr Voyce may have tried to go back the way he came when the vehicle stalled.

She said it was unclear if Mr Voyce had tried to get out of the vehicle himself or if he had been swept away by the force of the water.

Det Con Henderson said a ford warning road sign would have been visible but the depth pole showing the height of the flood was submerged on the other side of the crossing.

Mr Voyce’s body was found on 12 December “in deep water” at Old Abberwick Mill by a member of UK Search and Rescue.

Det Con Henderson told the inquest she believed the high water level may have created a mirage, which may have looked as if the road was flat and safe.

Pathologist Clive Bloxham said while Mr Voyce’s blood alcohol levels – 215 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of blood – would have impaired his judgement and co-ordination, it was a not a causal factor to his death. The drink-drive limit is 80 milligrams.

“This is over two-and-a-half, nearly three times that limit,” Dr Bloxham said.

“Despite the possibility of tolerance to drinking alcohol, this level would be expected to have impaired his co-ordination and judgment.

“You would expect him to have a significant degree of intoxication with this level and impaired decision-making prior to his death.”

His wife Anna asked about the possibility of barriers being put in the ford to stop vehicles being washed away, as had happened at other local crossings.

The coroner said he would pass on the suggestion to Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Police for further consideration.

The rugby player, from Truro in Cornwall, won nine caps for England and made 220 Premiership appearances. He played for Wasps, Bath and Gloucester before retiring from the sport in 2013.

Former teammates expressed their shock and sadness when he went missing, including messages from World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Since relocating to Northumberland from London in 2019, Mr Voyce left his banking role at Investec to set up his own business, Trevow Vegetation Management.