Divers search River Severn close to where Thomas Jones, 18, is believed to have disappeared

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Police have released two men they had arrested on suspicion of murdering an 18-year-old student who went missing during freshers’ week and are continuing to search for the teenager.

Police and fire and rescue divers have been searching the River Severn in Worcester close to where Thomas Jones is believed to have disappeared last week.

On Monday evening West Mercia police said two 20-year-old men they had arrested had cooperated fully and were no longer being treated as suspects.

Thomas Jones. Photograph: West Mercia police

Det Insp James Bayliss said: “The investigation into the disappearance of Thomas remains a priority and we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances surrounding Thomas’s disappearance. This remains a missing person inquiry.

“I would like to thank the public of Worcester for their support and concern, the community response has been exceptional.

“We continue to actively search the area and I would reiterate that anyone with any information should contact the police as soon as possible.”

Jones was last seen in the early hours of 19 September.

He is thought to have crossed the Sabrina footbridge before walking on to the footpath along the top of the flood defences on Hylton Road towards the village of Hallow just before 3.50am.

Members of the public have been asked to stay away from the area while divers and officers conduct a search.

Police said Jones’s family had been made aware of the updates and they were being supported by specially trained officers.

Jones had been due to attend his first lecture for his primary education course on Monday.

His friend Harley Hetherington, 18, who was beginning the same course, said he had seen him in the Velvet nightclub just before he went missing.

“He seemed absolutely fine. He was behaving normally and didn’t seemed intoxicated at all. He was his usual bubbly self, looking forward to starting uni,” he said.

“Tom phoned his mum and then his new flatmate to tell him he was two minutes away from home before he disappeared. Nobody can quite understand how it’s happened. He was quite close to getting home safe and had told people he was fine right up until the point he went missing.”

Jones’s aunt Jackie Rogers said: “He’s a little-ish lad, but big in personality. To go missing is totally out of character for him.”

Rogers said Jones had been with his father watching the football team he supports, West Bromwich Albion, on Wednesday before he went out in Worcester.

Anyone with information can call 101 quoting incident number 431s of 19 September, or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.