TRIBUTES have been left to a Newport father of four who was found dead on Monday.

Dave Hampton, a 64-yearold from Pill who went missing last Thursday, was found in the Queensway Meadows area of the city.

Flowers and a Newport County scarf have been placed in Plover Close to honour him.

Tributes describe him as a “lovely man” and a “true gentleman who will be sorely missed”.

Dr Hampton was last seen by his partner, Sara Webb, 40, and on Sunday more than 100 relatives and friends searched the south of the city, near where he was last seen.

A spokesman for Gwent Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Dr Hampton worked as a biochemist in the pathology lab at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

On Thursday evening Dr Hampton and Miss Webb attended a concert at Trinity College in Carmarthen, where Dr Hampton’s son, Daniel, 20, was performing.

However, the couple left after the first half because Dr Hampton felt ill.

Miss Webb told the Argus he had felt confused, had a temperature and was tired.

Later that night Dr Hampton left his home, saying he had wanted to see if Asda was open.

He was later seen on CCTV buying a bag of chips and going into a pub, and was spotted at a travellers’ site in Tatton Road, near Queensway Meadows, at 1.30am on Friday.

The residents had offered him a cup of tea, but he said “no” and walked off.

Security guards at an industrial building then saw him trying to get past a barrier at 2am.