The bodies of two men who had been missing for over a week were discovered in a crashed vehicle concealed in thick undergrowth off the A584 in Lancashire, police have confirmed. William Hutchinson, 31, and Stuart Tallis, 27, were both last seen on June 24 and were separately reported missing from their homes in Preston, Lancashire Police said.
Discovery of the Vehicle
On Saturday, specialist search officers located William's blue Peugeot 106 off the westbound carriageway of the A584 Preston New Road, near the junction with the A583 Blackpool Road at Newton with Clifton. The vehicle was found in thick undergrowth, hidden from view, according to the force.
Police Statement and Family Notification
"Sadly, two deceased males were found inside the vehicle. Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, we believe we have found William and Stuart," police said. Their families have been notified and are receiving support from specially trained officers.
Appeal for Witnesses
Officers are now urging witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone who observed the blue Peugeot 106 on the A584 Preston New Road shortly before 5:30 am on June 24, which is when they believe the car left the road. Police are also requesting any CCTV or dashcam footage that may assist with the investigation, as reported by the Mirror.
Investigation Details
Sgt Martin Wilcock, from the force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU), said: "Two men have lost their lives in what appears to be extremely tragic circumstances, and my thoughts are very much with their loved ones at this sad time. I know a number of my colleagues were involved in the searches for William and Stuart and I know they were hoping for a happier conclusion. My job now is to establish the full circumstances which led to the collision, and that is why I would ask any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage which could help the investigation to make contact with my officers."
Anyone with information is urged to contact police by calling 101 or emailing SCIU@lancashire.police.uk, quoting log 613 of July 4, 2026.
