Liam Hampson: Australian rugby league player found dead in Spanish club

An Australian rugby league player has been found dead in Spain after going missing on a night out with friends.

Barcelona police found Liam Hampson's body on the floor of a nightclub where he was last seen, local media reported.

He had been travelling through Europe with a group including National Rugby League (NRL) players, who reported him missing.

The 24-year-old's family said he had an accident and did not survive, adding they are "heartbroken".

Mr Hampson played in the Queensland Cup for the Redcliffe Dolphins, a team that will enter Australia's top-tier NRL next season.

He had become separated from his friends when leaving the Sala Apollo nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday local time, his family said on social media.

Relatives had asked for help in searching for him, after he was not seen for more than 24 hours.

Barcelona police say Mr Hampson's body was found by employees around midday on Wednesday, the Brisbane Times reported.

Officers believe Mr Hampson accidentally fell to his death from a height of about 10m inside, the report said.

Mr Hampson's father Brett said the family was devastated.

"Liam had a heart of gold... words cannot express our grief," he wrote on social media.

The family said their thoughts were with the group of friends travelling with Mr Hampson - which included several top-tier players - who had searched for him.

"[You] made sure his last days were the best of his life," his sister, Tiarna Hampson, said.

Mr Hampson started his semi-professional career with the Tweed Seagulls in 2019 before joining the Dolphins this year.