AN inquest has formally identified a Stroud man who disappeared from his Chalford home without a trace more than 20 years ago.

James Elam, 26, a former Marling School student, went missing in May 1994 after he left his home to enquire about a job and was not seen since.

An inquest on Tuesday heard that his body was found days later under the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol but it could not be identified.

It was buried in an unmarked grave until his parents contacted police regarding an appeal to identify bodies of missing people.

In an "extremely rare" decision a High Court Judge granted a fresh inquest into the death, where the body could formally be identified, 20 years on.

The short hearing, at Flax Bourton Coroner's Court, heard that James could finally be identified following fingerprint analysis as well as imagery analysis, which matched his body to photographs.

A previous hearing heard that he disappeared on May Day after telling his family he was going to enquire about a job in Devon but he failed to return home.

His body was found 28 days later and recovered from the river the same day but was not identified until almost 20 years later using advanced forensic technology.

Leaving the conclusion open, senior coroner, Maria Voisin, said: "I am content with my predecessors decision that the deceased was born on 20 July 1967.

"I agree that he died on 28 May 1994 on the banks of the River Avon. Cause of death unascertained, and the 'verdict', as it was known then, as open.

"The only difference now is that following fingerprint evidence and forensic image analysis I am confident the deceased and Mr Elam are the same person."