A man appeared in court this morning charged with the murder of a missing rugby player whose body has not yet been found.

Martin Sugden, 41, of Stanton St Quintin was remanded in custody at North West Magistrates Court in Chippenham charged with the murder of gym instructor Donavan van Lill.

He had been arrested on Friday afternoon by a team of detectives investigating the disappearance of 29-year-old Mr van Lill, who plays rugby for Corsham.

Sugden will next appear at Bristol Crown Court on April 6.

Police officers spent much of the weekend searching farmland close to junction 17 of the M4 between Chippenham and Malmesbury. On Friday afternoon, a road off the A429 in the village of Lower Stanton St Quintin was closed to the public, to allow police officers to search the area surrounding near Scotland Hill.

It was still shut last night.

A team of around 12 officers, including eight search officers and four permanent police officers were at the scene yesterday.

Friends and family of the missing father-of-two have been tirelessly campaigning to find Mr van Lill, known more commonly as Don.

They have been backed by Bath Rugby’s South African contingent, and have put up posters throughout Wiltshire and in Bath since he vanished nearly three weeks ago.

The alarm was first raised when he failed to turn up for a 2pm appointment at the Olympiad Leisure Centre, where he worked as a fitness instructor. The police were called within 24 hours, and soon found Mr van Lill had gone missing without his wallet, ID, car or money – and grew more concerned as his bank account remained untouched.

Devastated friends set up a internet campaign, which has almost 16,000 supporters.

They have also started a fundraising drive to pay for his mother Robyn to fly over from South Africa in a bid to boost the appeal, which will continue.