Family ‘utterly devastated’ at death of Royal Welsh teenager
THE family of a talented teenager who went missing during the Royal Welsh Show say they are “utterly devastated” after police confirmed his body had been found.
Hundreds of volunteers joined the search for James Corfield, 19, pictured right, after he disappeared having last been seen in a pub in Builth Wells.
Police conducting an intensive search discovered a body on Sunday which was yesterday formally identified as James.
In a statement his family said: “James was very much a farming, family guy – farming was his life and he loved his animals with a passion.
“A visit to the Royal Welsh Show was a real highlight for him – and seeing the sheep and poultry judging was something he really looked forward to. He went to the Royal Welsh Show every year throughout his life and we
have fond memories of taking him as a child, which we will always treasure.
“James was a keen cricketer and a gifted player and played for Montgomery Cricket Club.
“He was recently awarded Shropshire Division Two Cricketer of the Year, and the league’s young player of the year in 2016, a massive achievement for someone his age and something he was incredibly proud of.
“We will miss James with all our hearts and are utterly devastated. We are very grateful to all the volunteers who helped with the search, and for all the messages of support, but we ask now to be left in privacy.”
A statement posted by Montgomery Cricket Club on their Facebook page read: “At the end of last season James Corfield was awarded both our batting and bowling cups following an outstanding season that saw him develop a talent that had been obvious to club members for many years.
“We’ve seen him grow from a young lad, join our youth section and emerge into the senior teams, and at every stage there was a sense of expectation amongst team-mates and supporters whenever he picked up the bat or ball.
“A genuinely fast bowler and aggressive batsman, his talents made him the Shropshire Division Two Cricketer of the Year and the League’s Young Player of the Year in 2016.
“James was a prominent member of the club not only because of his ability. He was a friendly, helpful and hardworking young man who gave a huge amount to the cricketing family at Lymore.
“The devastating news that a body has been found during the search in Builth Wells deeply affects all at the club, in the town, and in the cricketing and farming communities across Montgomery and Shropshire.
“Our thoughts are with Louise, Brian, Thomas and Emma and we will be offering them all the support we can in the days and weeks to come.”
A spokesman for the Royal Welsh Show said: “It is with regret that we learn the news that the body found [on Sunday] has been confirmed as James Corfield.
“We send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this very difficult time.
“We would like to thank the emergency services, together with the support of the many volunteers from the Show society, Wales YFC and the wider community who have assisted in the search.”
Aled Huw Roberts, FUW Montgomeryshire county chairman, said: “The loss of such a promising young man is tragic. His passion and achievements in cricketing and farming will be remembered always. Our thoughts are with the family and local community.”
James, a farmer’s son from Montgomery who had been camping at the show, was last seen at a pub in Builth Wells at around midnight on Monday, July 24.
His family raised the alarm on Tuesday when he failed to meet them at the show.
His mother Louise made a desperate appeal for any information three days after he disappeared, saying his family – including his brother, sister, and grandma – were “desperate” to know where he was, adding: “We love you James.”
On Saturday, around 200 people gathered in Montgomery in a show of solidarity with the family.
They were all wearing blue, the colour of the T-shirt James was wearing when he went missing.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys and South Wales Police and specialist teams had been searching the area all weekend.