A body believed to be that of George Abboudi, the British hiker missing in Nepal, has been found.

The 22-year-old from Leeds was last heard of on August 5, when he left friends to hike through the Annapurna Conservation Area, in the north of the country.

Mr Abboudi was due to board a flight to Thailand on August 21 but never arrived.

Although he has not yet been officially identified, a family member confirmed that the body, which was discovered in a river on August 20, is that of Mr Abboudi.

“All indications — height, build, everything — are that it is George.”

The family member said that Mr Abboudi had suffered “a tragic accident. It’s a very fast-flowing river. It seems he slipped and fell. There are no markings of a struggle.”

In accordance with Nepalese law, the body was cremated after going unidentified for a week. DNA tests will now be performed on a sample. The family member said Mr Abboudi “was happy, fun-loving and laughing all the time. He was the life and soul of the room. He was a great guy.”