VILLAGERS in Compton and Marldon have been devastated by the death of teenager Nathan Wood whose body was found in the River Dart over the weekend.

Nathan, 16, is thought to have taken a psychoactive drug before running naked along the river near Swallowfields in Totnes early on Friday evening.

The youngster, a former pupil at Marldon Primary School who attended KEVIC in Totnes, was found in the river on the Dartington estate at midday yesterday.

The alarm was raised at 7pm on Friday by a canoeist who had seen the lad ‘tripping’ and in a distressed state on the riverside and heading towards the water.

A major land and river search, including divers, was launched across the weekend involving police, Dartmoor rescue volunteers and members of the public.

His friends at the scene said they heard a splash in the water at the time of the tragic episode.

The coroner has been informed - and an inquest to take formal evidence of identity is expected to open this week.

Detectives based at Totnes are investigating the circumstances of the death.