THE body of missing student Jonathon Barber has been recovered from a river close to where he disappeared, police said today.Jonathon, from Downham Market, was last seen in the early hours of Saturday, as he walked home along the River Ouse, after goin

THE body of missing student Jonathon Barber has been recovered from a river close to where he disappeared, police said today.

Jonathon, from Downham Market, was last seen in the early hours of Saturday, as he walked home along the River Ouse, after going to a party in Salter's Lode.

Police, coastguards and Jonathon's family and friends have been searching the windswept banks of the tidal river for the last three days.

This afternoon, a spokesman said: "Jonathan was found in the River Ouse by members of the police diving team at 11.35am this morning, during their continued search of the waterway between Downham and Salters Lode. Jonathan's family has been updated.

"An extensive search of the area was conducted by various police units and other agencies including HM Coastguard, the RAF search and rescue helicopter, voluntary Lowland Search and Rescue teams from Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, Norfolk Fire & Rescue and many of Jonathan's family and friends.

"Police are satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Jonathan's death and the inquiry has been handed over to HM Coroner for further investigation. An inquest will open in due course."

Jonathon had come home from Staffordshire University for the weekend, to spend Mother's Day at home with his mother Carolyn.

Today Sam Wane, senior lecturer in applied technology at the university, said: "Although Jonathon was fairly quiet in class and preferred to work alone on his projects in the laboratory, he was well liked and gained respect from the other students. He meticulously designed and built a drum playing animatronic robot and enthusiastically presented it to the rest of the class. He was progressing well with his studies and showed promise with animatronics.