Former Wigan Warriors rugby player who vanished in USA five months ago 'may have been abducted'

The brother of an ex- Wigan rugby league star who vanished from his apartment in the USA without any of his belongings fears he may have been abducted.

Bryn Hargreaves, 36, was reported missing in January by his boss after failing to come into work. Police were later called to his apartment building in West Virginia where they found his shower still running, but Bryn was nowhere to be seen.

His disappearance sparked a major search by police in the USA, but repeated attempts to track him down drew a blank. His family say they now want to hire private investigators to probe his disappearance, Lancs Live reports.

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Speaking for the first time of his family's living nightmare, Bryn's brother Gareth said he fears the Ex-St Helens prop forward may have been abducted.

He said police were called to his brother's apartment building as there was water leaking into an apartment below. They found Bryn's apartment unlocked, but all of his belongings were there and his shower was still running.

Gareth, 38, said: "It's almost like he was abducted from his shower. It's certainly a fear of mine. Obviously he was having mental health issues and in severe pain with his back from a car accident in December.

"I think the police thought he'd done something to himself and that certainly is a possibility that we also fear. But five months later, surely a body would have turned up.

"It's a bit strange if you wanted to disappear to leave your apartment unlocked with all your ID and some of your prized possessions.

"It's one of the reasons I can't leave this. If he's had a rubbish time and had enough so he's taken himself away, that's fair enough. But if