UPDATE: Body found in River Wharfe at Tadcaster named locally

Police and firefighters recovered a man's body from the river yesterday morning after a member of the public discovered some personal items on Mill Lane, near the town's Sainsbury's supermarket.

Family of the man, who is believed to be a local man in his 30s, have been informed and specially-trained officers are providing support.

Police have yet to release his identity, however he has been named locally as John Kevin Appleyard, who worked as a chef at Ye Old Sun Inn at Colton.

The award-winning pub, between Tadcaster and York, posted a message on its Facebook page yesterday saying it would be closing at 4pm "due to unforeseen circumstances and as a mark of respect".

Tributes started pouring in to the page, with comments including: "I'm so appalled that one of life's good guys has been stolen from us all. Words can't describe the tragic loss of John RIP", from Barrington Dalton Williams.

While Louise Humphreys wrote: "My brother had John as an apprentice at Singers in Tadcaster and so evolved a friendship with our family of over 15 years. My son worked with him at The Granary last summer. We are feeling so very sad and our thoughts are truly with his family. If we feel as sad as we do I can't imagine their feelings at his loss. RIP lovely man."