by Jade Edwards and Lynn Cox

The family of missing teenager Ben Savage have been told a body has been found in the River Medway at Rochester this afternoon.

Ben, 18, went missing after a night out in Chatham and police say they pulled a body from the water earlier this afternoon near the former Civic Centre, in Strood.

The Strood teenager disappeared eight weeks ago after going to the Tap’N’Tin bar in Chatham, and was last seen near the Sun Pier area of Chatham.

It comes just hours after a body was pulled from the river near the M2 bridge at Strood this morning.

Numerous searches have been carried out of the river in the hunt for Ben Savage.

He was reported missing on Tuesday, December 6, and a police investigation uncovered footage of him on CCTV cameras near the pier.

Since his disappearance, just over eight weeks ago, more than 500 hours have been spent searching the River Medway and the area of Sun Pier.

On December 14, family and friends held a candlelit vigil for Ben, placing flowers and candles on the end of the pier.

The touching tribute was organised after Ben’s mother, Tara, issued a statement on behalf of the Savage family, thanking everyone who had given up their time to search for her son.

His heartbroken family, who live in Strood, say they had resigned themselves to the fact he fell in the river and was unable to swim to safety.

She said: “Myself, Martin, Luke and the rest of Ben’s family would like to thank the emergency services, coastguard, volunteers and general public for their overwhelming support in the search for Ben.

“After an extensive review of CCTV footage, we are coming to terms with the likelihood that Ben fell in the River Medway during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“Based on the temperature of the water, the river currents and Ben’s level of consciousness when entering the river, we have to assume that he would have been unable to swim to safety.

“This is a heartbreaking time for everyone and so we, Ben’s family, now ask for some time and space to grieve.

“We would again like to thank the public for their overwhelming efforts searching for Ben. It is now time to hand the search over completely to the coastguard, who continue to work tirelessly searching the river."

Ben, a former pupil at Holmesdale School in Snodland and MidKent College in Maidstone, only turned 18 in November.

KentOnline has been inundated with messages of support for Ben's family on our Facebook page.

Matt Cole wrote: "So tragic but at least the family can get a sense of 'closure' rather than never knowing.

"I cannot imagine what they are going through. My thoughts are with them."

Cheri Anne posted: "Dear Ben's family this touched my heart when your son was reported missing. My heart is aching for you all. Please find some comfort in the love that we have sent out to your family. God bless you all. I'm so sorry for your loss."

Sarah Mayo wrote: "I'm sorry to all Ben's family. I will never forget that bright white smile of his from the posters. He will always cross my mind when I am near that river."

The body was found just hours after another body of a man was pulled out of the river near the M2 bridge at Strood, at about 9am.

A spokesman said: “As part of a pre-planned water search involving Kent Police’s search and marine unit, officers discovered the body of a man beneath the M2 motorway bridge at 9.30am on Wednesday, February 1.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and the family of a man reported missing on Sunday 22 January 2017 have been informed.”

“A report will now be prepared for the coroner.”

After the second body was found this afternoon, a police spokesman added: "Kent Police was called to the River Medway by a member of the public at 3.22pm on Wednesday 1 February 2017 to a report of a body seen in the water near Rochester Bridge.

"Officers from Kent Police’s search and marine unit attended the scene along with the Kent Coastguard.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and the family of missing person Ben Savage, who was last seen on 6 December 2016, have been informed of the discovery."