TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular man whose body was found at the bottom of cliffs on Portland.

A massive police search was launched to find Leslie Rodd, a dad in his forties, after he was reported missing from his Wyke Regis home.

The Dorset Police helicopter, dog handlers and the Portland Coastguard joined the search to find the Albion Stone worker.

Family members also joined the hunt to find Mr Rodd but the search was called off overnight.

His body was recovered from the bottom of cliffs at West Weares early yesterday morning.

It was retrieved by the Portland Coastguard helicopter and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

After Mr Rodd went missing, his sister-in-law Jackie left frantic messages on Facebook.

She wrote that she was ‘praying for some good news’.

Dozens of messages of support came flooding in for the family after the body of the popular Wyke Regis man was found.

Friends said they were thinking of Mr Rodd’s children and paid tribute to a ‘good man and workmate’.

The managing director of Albion Stone said long-term employee Mr Rodd was a ‘diligent and hard-working man’.

Michael Poultney said: “Les had worked with us for a number of years. He was a very diligent and hard-working man.

“We are thinking of all his family and friends and are deeply saddened by the loss.”

Portland town councillor Sandy West said: “I feel very sorry for the family and my heart goes out to them.

“This is a real tragedy. My thoughts are with his family and friends who will need time to come to terms with what happened, it is so sad.

“It is such a lovely, big family. I hope that Portlanders will come together and support them in whatever way we can.”

Weymouth and Portland Mayor Graham Winter said the discovery of the body was ‘sad news’.

He added: “It’s sad when people go missing and tragic when they are found in such circumstances. This is very sad news and my sympathy goes out to this man’s family.”

Police search for missing man

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “On Sunday just before 6pm we had a call from a woman expressing concern about the welfare of a missing man in his forties from the Wyke Regis area of Weymouth who hadn’t been seen since 1.30pm.

“Police officers were assisted by the force helicopter and dog handlers.

“Portland Coastguard was also called to the search. At 7.30am yesterday the search was started up again and the body of a man was found between 7.30 and 8am. Paramedics attended and the man was confirmed as dead.”

A spokesman for Portland Coastguard said: “We were involved in the retrieval of a body along with the Dorset Police.

“The Portland Coastguard helicopter retrieved the body and it was taken back to base where it was met by an ambulance.”

The police spokesman said the death is not being treated as suspicious and an inquest has been opened and adjourned.