Ex-England rugby player nearly three times over limit when he drove into raging ford during Storm Darragh, inquest finds

A former England rugby player was almost three times over the limit before driving his 4×4 into a ford during a storm, an inquest has heard.

Tom Voyce, 43, had attempted to cross the River Aln, Northumberland, in his Toyota Hilux last December while Storm Darragh ravaged the country.

Mr Voyce was seen at the bar of the Queen’s Head pub in Glanton at 11.45pm on December 7, shortly before he attempted to drive home, Hugh Wood, brother of Mr Voyce’s widow Anna, told the hearing at County Hall in Morpeth.

Prior to that, the ex-England international who was capped nine times, had been at a shoot on his brother-in-law’s farm that day. The pair then went to the pub and spent the evening with two other men.

Following a major search after his wife raised the alarm on December 8, Mr Voyce’s body was found days later in Abberwick ford on December 12.

Pathologist Dr Clive Bloxham said immersion of water was the cause of death and said Mr Voyce likely had a ‘significant’ level of intoxication.

Dr Bloxham told the hearing: ‘He did have a high blood alcohol level. 

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

The doctor added that a reading of 215 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood was detected – nearly three times more than the 80 milligram limit.

Mr Voyce, who has a son called Oscar, had set up a business in Northumberland after careers in rugby – with Wasps, Bath and Gloucester making 220 Premiership appearances – and banking. 

Coroner Andrew Hetherington ruled Mr Voyce’s death an accident and found he had not taken his regular route home in the storm.

Prior to his death, Mr Wood said there had been a shoot with 16 guests which had been hampered by the weather so people instead shared a bottle of port.

This ended at 5.30pm and Mr Wood said they drank at the Queen’s Head but did not see any ill effects in Mr Voyce before his eight-mile journey home to Alnwick.

He added that roads were waterlogged by the storm with parts flooded and winds of about 30mph battering the area.

Mr Voyce failed to return home to his wife, and a day later, she raised the alarm. On December 12, a diver found his body submerged beneath two metres of water in a mill pond.

Lisa Chisholm, publican at the Queen’s Head, said Mr Voyce had drunk about four bottles of Magners cider, had bought drinks for others and was in a good mood before his death.

DC Victoria Henderson, inquiry lead, said part of the car’s number plate had shattered at the water’s edge which suggested it had approached the ford quickly.

She said the Hilux was found in reverse gear which indicated that Mr Voyce may have tried to go back the way he came before the vehicle stalled in the water.

It was damaged by repeatedly hitting a footbridge near the ford before the water levels dropped and allowed it under the bridge.

DC Henderson said it was unclear if he had attempted to exit the vehicle or had instead been swept away by the current. 

She added that a ford warning road sign would have been visible but the depth pole revealing the height of the flood was submerged on the crossing’s opposite side.

Mrs Voyce, in a statement, said: ‘Absolutely devastated and heartbroken doesn’t even describe how we feel.’

The widow had asked about the prospect of barriers being erected in the ford to prevent vehicles from being washed away – the coroner said he would pass this on to Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Police for consideration.

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