THE family of the Earl of Shaftesbury say they fear the worst as police confirmed they were treating his disappearance as murder.

The 66-year-old has not been seen since early November when he vanished on a trip to the French Riviera. He was due to return to the UK on November 10.

Two Sussex detectives recently flew to Nice to meet French police searching for the Earl, who has homes in Hove and London as well as the south of France.

Sussex Police confirmed no body had been found.

In a statement, the Earl's eldest son Lord Ashley said: "My family and I are extremely concerned about the disappearance of my father. We now fear the worst.

"We have visited the French investigation in Nice and are convinced that everything that could be done to ascertain my father's fate is being done.

"We remain in close contact with them and Sussex police and will continue to assist in any way we can."

The Earl, whose full name is Anthony Ashley-Cooper, last contacted his family on November 5.

During Sussex Police's visit last week, they handed the investigation over to French police, marking the closure of the British inquiry.

The Earl arrived in Nice on November 3, met his third wife two days later where she lives and checked into the Hilton in Cannes on November 6.

He has not been seen since.

First published: December 22