Was Gloucestershire man violently killed in Amsterdam?

Missing Gloucestershire man Richard Cole's life was taken 'by an act of violence' in Amsterdam, according to the boss of the auction house in Stroud he was working for.

The 30-year-old was travelling in Holland when he went missing in Amsterdam last Monday. Late last night his body was found in a canal in the city centre.

Dutch police have said they do not know how he ended up in the water but told ITV News they have not ruled out suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Mr Cole's brother Lee Thornhill had travelled to Amsterdam to search for him but last night police recovered a body from the Herengracht canal. A tracker dog became 'restless' on the edge of the canal, and his body was discovered after a subsequent search of the water.

"His family has been informed," a spokesman for the police in Amsterdam said. "It is still unclear how he ended up in the water but one of our lines of inquiry is whether he died in a violent attack."

Lyn Bowkett said staff at the Stroud Auction Rooms were 'struggling to come to terms' with his loss.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they are offering support to the family.