A friend of the missing rugby star Levi Davis has alleged that a text message he sent to him was marked as "read" almost two months after he disappeared.

The 24-year-old - a former wing for Bath Rugby, known to TV audiences for appearing on The X Factor: Celebrity - mysteriously vanished in Barcelona on October 29.

Davis's passport was discovered in the port area of the city, and there was speculation that he may have drowned - although it recently emerged that prior to his disappearance, Davis had claimed that he feared for his life as he was being blackmailed by a criminal gang.

Now Gavin Burrows, who is leading an investigation on behalf of Davis's family of friends, has revealed that a message sent to his phone by a friend was marked as "read" on December 15.

"We have obtained a copy of a text sent to Levi," he told The Sun.

"The Spanish police pinged his phone to Barcelona train station on the night he went missing on October 29th.

"Then you've got on December 15 somebody has read the text.

"It's either Levi himself - and we hope so - or it's someone who has managed to get a hold of his PIN."

He added: "If he is alive we believe he could be in hiding, in an involuntary exile somewhere like a monastery, to protect himself from toxic individuals."

A £10,000 reward is being offered by the Line of Inquiry organisation for any information which may lead to Davis being found.