A BODY found in the River Taff, in Cardiff, was yesterday confirmed to be that of missing Blaenavon man Richard Davies, pictured.

Detectives investigating his disappearance said dental records showed the body, retrieved by sub-aqua teams on Wednesday, was that of the father of two.

Detective Constable Stuart Summers, of Gwent Police, told the Argus: "It is every family's worst nightmare, and the family have a lot of questions which police will be investigating."

Mr Davies, of Avon Road, went missing in Cardiff while on his works Christmas party on December 20.

Mr Davies was last seen by his colleagues from Blaenavon's Resitech Design in the Reflex bar, St Mary Street, at about 11pm.

Around the same time a man was seen swimming in the River Taff, but an initial search failed to locate him.

Earlier this week specialist subaqua teams started an intensive search of the River Taff around the area where the man was seen in the water.

And on Wednesday, a body was discovered 150 yards downstream from the Penarth Road Bridge, near the city centre and the Reflex bar.

Inquiries into Mr Davies' death are continuing as results of a post-mortem examination establishing how he died are still awaited.

Mr Davies' wife, Michelle, never gave up hope of him returning home.

Last Friday she put up posters featuring her husband's picture around the streets of Cardiff city centre in a bid to jog people's memories about what happened to him that night.

The couple were planning to take their two children, Justin, 13, and ten-year-old Charlotte, on a family holiday to Australia later this year.

Speaking to the Argus last week, Mrs Davies said: "He worships his children and they are the most important things to him. He is a good father."

Detective Constable Sum-mers added: "It has been a tense time for the family and they have tried to remain optimistic.

"They have always hoped Richard would come back. However, at the back of their minds they have always had the sighting of the man in the river and we have never been able to rule this individual out."

It has been an agonising wait for the family and their worst fears were confirmed when the body was found in the river and the clothing was similar to what Richard had been wearing.