THE parents of a student who went missing after a night out in York will be asked today to identify a body police believe is their son.

Robert Davies, 20, who studied at the University of York, went missing more than a week ago after drinking with friends in to the early hours.

North Yorkshire Police suspect a body found in the River Ouse is that of the missing chemistry student.

It was found close to the A64 road bridge on the outskirts of the city, after a member of the public raised the alarm.

Mr Davies left a bar in the city at 12.30am on Sunday September 23 but never arrived home.

Police, fire crews and a RAF helicopter carried out an extensive search in the days following his disappearance.

Inspector Nigel Slater of North Yorkshire Police said: ''We now believe that the body recovered from the River Ouse is that of the missing Yorkshire student Robert Davies.

''A formal identification has still to take place.

''A post-mortem has been completed and while the cause of death is still to be ascertained it is not believed to be suspicious.'' Police said the popular 6ft 2in student had been drinking at Monty's Bar in York's Micklegate area with friends in the early hours of Sunday before making his way home to his accommodation in Heslington Lane.

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