Friend's tribute to pensioner found dead in Scotland (From Sutton Guardian)

Friend pays tribute to missing Sutton man, Michael Turner, found dead in Scotland

1:00pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Sophia Sleigh, Reporter

A friend of the man whose body was found in Scotland described him as "part of the family".

Michael Turner, 70, of Highfield Road, Sutton, was reported missing by neighbours in September last year after they had not heard from him.

The police launched an appeal for information about his whereabouts but his body was found near to the A96 Huntly bypass, in Aberdeenshire, on Saturday, March 2.

The Foster family, who were friends with Mr Turner and lived next door to him for seven years, never stopped looking for him since he went missing.

Natalie Foster, 32, from Caterham, said: “It is really sad. It has been a long seven months and I haven’t stopped looking every day.

“After we moved last year he would come up to our house every single week.

“We would take him shopping and he loved our little boy Teddy.

“He was part of our family to be honest. At Christmas he would come to our house and he enjoyed being with us Christmas morning.

“We would take Michael out to Nonsuch Park. He loved his garden and any outdoor things like that. He helped with our garden after we moved.

“We are just very very sad. It is such a big loss for us and sad he so near but so far.

“I’m just sad he was by himself and he didn’t have to be by himself.

“If someone had upset him and it was that that made him disappear I wish he had come to us."

Mr Turner lived at his home in Sutton for around 40 years and worked as a security guard, a prison officer and in a post office.

The death of Mr Turner, who was a diabetic, is not being treated as suspicious.

Police believe he had been travelling around Scotland and his next of kin have been informed.

If anyone has seen Mr Turner over the last six months they should contact Grampian Police on 101.