Missing men found deceased.
Two missing men found dead in hidden car crash, police appeal for witnesses and footage.
Key Points
The blue Peugeot 106 was discovered at 12:00 BST on Saturday by specialist officers, hidden from view in thick undergrowth off the westbound carriageway of the A584 Preston New Road in Newton-with-Clifton.
Police timelines show Hutchinson was last seen on 24 June and Tallis was reported missing three days later, providing a precise sequence rather than the broader 'a few days later' phrasing.
Lancashire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is involved in the inquiry, indicating the incident is treated as a serious collision investigation.
Some coverage notes the disappearance occurred about 11 days before the discovery, highlighting a longer gap between vanishing and finding the vehicle than implied by terms like 'more than a week'.
The bodies of two missing Preston men were found inside a crashed car hidden in thick undergrowth off the A584 in Lancashire — nearly 11 days after they disappeared. William Hutchinson, 31, and Stuart Tallis, 27, were discovered in a blue Peugeot 106 off the westbound carriageway of Preston New Road in Newton-with-Clifton, according to Lancashire Constabulary via Manchester Evening News.
Specialist officers found the vehicle at 12:00 BST on Saturday, concealed from view by dense vegetation. Formal identification is still pending. Families of both men are being supported by specially trained officers, Blackpool Gazette reported.
11 Days Between Disappearance and Discovery of Car
Hutchinson was last seen in Preston on 24 June. Tallis was reported missing three days later, also in the city. The car was not found until Saturday — roughly 11 days after Hutchinson vanished, The Sun noted. The vehicle had left the westbound carriageway of the A584 Preston New Road and come to rest deep in undergrowth, hidden from passing traffic.
Police believe the crash happened at around 05:30 BST on 24 June — the same day Hutchinson was last seen. The car's location made it extremely difficult to spot. It took specialist officers to locate the Peugeot 106, Head Topics reported.
Serious Collision Unit Takes Over the Investigation
Lancashire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit is now leading the inquiry. The unit handles complex road crashes and works to establish exactly how and why a collision happened. Investigators are working to piece together the full circumstances of the crash, according to Blackpool Gazette.
Sgt Martin Wilcock described the case as tragic. He said officers are keeping both families informed as the investigation moves forward. Police have not yet said whether any other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Police Appeal for Witnesses and Dashcam Footage
Lancashire Police are urging anyone who was on the A584 Preston New Road in the early hours of 24 June to come forward. Officers specifically want to hear from drivers who saw the blue Peugeot 106 just before the crash. Anyone with dashcam footage from that route before 05:30 BST is asked to check their recordings, Manchester Evening News reported.
The appeal covers any footage from the westbound stretch near Newton-with-Clifton. Police say even small details could help them establish how the crash occurred. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lancashire Police directly.
Families Notified as Formal Identification Remains Pending
Though officers believe the bodies are those of Hutchinson and Tallis, formal identification has not yet been confirmed. Both men had been reported missing separately before police connected their disappearances to the crashed car, Head Topics reported. Separate missing persons appeals had been issued for each man in the days before Saturday's discovery.
Specially trained family liaison officers are now supporting the relatives of both men. Police say keeping the families informed is a priority throughout the investigation. No further details about the men's relationship or why they were together have been released.
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