A body found on the banks of the River Mersey in Liverpool on Sunday was that of missing Bradford University student Aamir Qudeer, an inquest has heard.

The 21 year-old, a first-year engineering student, had last been seen in Bradford on February 26, before travelling by train to Leeds and then vanishing in Liverpool.

After hearing evidence from Detective Inspector Neil Benstead, of Bradford District CID, the investigating officer in the case, Mary Burke, Assistant Bradford Coroner, said she was “satisfied” the identity of the body was that of Mr Qudeer, and released the remains to the family for a funeral to take place.

Det Insp Benstead told the court that Merseyside Police were contacted at 8.52am on Sunday, April 13, after a body was washed up on the riverbank on the Grassendale Esplanade, an area approximately six miles from the city centre.

Emergency services recovered the body and during a check and search, officers found two phones, later confirmed to contain sim cards used by Mr Qudeer, and a wallet containing a driving licence and student card, both with positive photo IDs, alongside bank and national insurance cards.

Det Insp Benstead said Detective Inspector Neil Shaw, of Merseyside Police, had attended the scene where the body was found, and that the death was “not being treated as suspicious”.

When asked by Miss Burke whether he was satisfied that the body found was that of Mr Qudeer, Det Insp Benstead replied: “Yes.”

Outlining earlier details of the case to the court, Det Insp Benstead said that West Yorkshire Police had received a call from Zatoon Qudeer, Aamir’s mother, on the afternoon of February 27, with concerns over his whereabouts.

He said Mr Qudeer had immediately been deemed a “high-risk missing person, with a significant threat to life,” as his disappearance had been so out of character.

His family, of the Moortown area of Leeds, had made repeated pleas for information on his disappearance, including an appeal in Bradford, and had spoken to members of the public in Liverpool city centre on Saturday, the day before the body was found.

Miss Burke adjourned the hearing pending further inquiries.

Funeral prayers were held for Mr Qudeer at Leeds Islamic Centre this afternoon, and messages of condolence continue to be left on social media sites.