'Devastated' family pay tribute to Royal Marine veteran after body is found in Oldham

A “devastated” family have paid tribute to a Royal Marine veteran after he was found dead four days after going missing. 

David Hazeltine’s body was sadly found in Oldham on Friday, the 79-year-old having been reported missing on Monday without his medication. 

He had been battling Alzheimer’s and Greater Manchester Police believe there are not any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. 

In a statement released by the force, David’s family said: “We would like to thank family, friends and the wider public who helped via social media to spread the word when my dad went missing.

“As an ex-Royal Marine veteran, dad was a very proud and independent man despite his worsening Alzheimer’s. A man who had travelled the world in his career, he loved to spend his later years growing and sharing his fruit and veg from his allotment. He is described as a lovely man by all who met him and he will be sadly missed by his family.

“Our family are devastated by our loss.”