Bodies of two missing Preston men found dead in crashed car

Sunday, 5 July 2026 13:56

By Central Radio News

The bodies of two Preston men reported missing more than a week ago have been found in a crashed car.

William Hutchinson, 31, and Stuart Tallis, 27, were last seen in Preston on 24 June. Mr Tallis was reported missing three days later.

William was last seen at an address on Hull Street in Preston. He was believed to have left the area in a blue Peugeot 106.

Stuart was last seen in the Fishwick View area of Preston around 1.30am on 24^th June, and he was reported missing on 27^th June.

Enquiries led police officers to believe William and Stuart may have been together and officers were actively carrying out enquiries to find them.

As a result of these enquiries, shortly after 12pm yesterday (Saturday, July 4) William’s blue Peugeot 106 was found by specialist search officers, hidden from view, in thick undergrowth off the westbound carriageway of the A584 Preston New Road, close to its junction with the A583 Blackpool Road at Newton with Clifton.

Two deceased males were found inside the vehicle. Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, police believe we have found William and Stuart.

As part of the ongoing investigation, police are now appealing for any witnesses who saw a blue Peugeot 106 on the A584 Preston New Road in the minutes prior to 5.30am on 24^th June to make contact as soon as possible, as they believe this is the time the Peugeot left the carriageway.

They would also ask motorists travelling in that area around that time to check their dashcam footage to see if they have captured anything which could assist the investigation.

Sgt Martin Wilcock, from Lancashire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Two men have lost their lives in what appears to be extremely tragic circumstances, and my thoughts are very much with their loved ones at this sad time.

‘’I know a number of my colleagues were involved in the searches for William and Stuart and I know they were hoping for a happier conclusion.

“My job now is to establish the full circumstances which led to the collision, and that is why I would ask any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage which could help the investigation to make contact with my officers.”

Email SCIU@lancashire.police.uk or call 101 and quote log 613 of 4^th July 2026.