Tributes have been paid to Chippenham worker David Lowe whose body was discovered in the Bristol Channel almost a month after he went missing.

Mr Lowe, 52, husband of Prince Charles’ personal florist Sarah Champier-Lowe, was last seen leaving his Chippenham office, where he had worked as a BT Telecoms apprenticeship manager, on April 29.

His body was found by a coast guard in water close to the Burnham-On-Sea sailing club at the end of last month.

Colleague Ian Fellows said Mr Lowe was always laughing and joking.

He said: “He was a decent man and I always enjoyed working with him.

“We were all worried when he went missing but we all hoped he would turn up and had just gone away to get his head together. It is so tragic.

“He will be greatly missed and work won’t be the same without him.”

Another colleague, who wished to remain nameless, said: “Dave was my boss for about two years at BT, and I never found him anything other than a happy bloke.

“He liked life, his family and his Harley Davidson.”

BT spokesman Jason Mann said: “David was a much respected and well liked member of staff. He was a very innovative person and our thoughts are with his family.”

Mr Lowe, a longstanding Freemason, was father to Jessica, 26, and Ben, 24, from his first marriage, and step-dad to Mrs Champier-Lowe’s daughters Laura, 25, and Lydia, 18.

Mrs Champier-Lowe is florist at the Prince of Wales’ Highgrove estate and also works in the Highgrove shop in Tetbury.

Police say they are not treating Mr Lowe’s death as suspicious and an inquest has been opened and adjourned.