THE family of a North-East man thought to have been murdered spoke last night of how his mystery disappearance has left them devastated.

Timeshare salesman John Palmer has not been seen for more than four years and police initially treated the case as a missing person inquiry.

But news this week that Mr Palmer is thought to have been killed in Hampshire has shocked the married father-of-one's relatives in Sunderland.

A statement issued by the family said: "John was a well-respected man who had settled in Spain with his family. He was devoted to his wife and his daughter.

"His disappearance over the last four years was totally out of character and he has been sadly missed.

"We have all hoped that he would return and always thought that only a very serious incident would have stopped him contacting us.

"We are all devastated to hear that he is dead and request that we are left alone at this time to grieve."

Mr Palmer returned to the UK from Spain on March 12, 1999. His family expected him to travel to the North-East, but for some unknown reason, he visited Hampshire.

He visited a pub and a hotel and country club, but has not been seen since being involved in a row in a taxi on the way to the village of Bishop's Waltham.

Detectives are keen to trace a taxi driver who picked Mr Palmer up from the hotel and country club along with two other men and a woman on Saturday, March 13, at 1am.

During the journey an argument erupted and the three men left the vehicle and had a fight. Two got back in and the taxi continued its journey back to Hoe Road, Bishop's Waltham.

It is suspected that Mr Palmer's body was later taken to a house in the road where police have been searching for clues for 11 days.

Meanwhile, detectives are working on new information received after a public appeal for help to piece together the last movements of Mr Palmer.