The mother of a missing man who has now been found dead said she wanted him remembered as a doting dad and loving family man.

Alex Holland, from Deal, who had vanished three months ago, was discovered near Hacklinge yesterday.

He is yet to be formally identified but Mrs Holland is convinced it is him.

She told KentOnline today: "I'd like him to be remembered as a doting dad to his two girls, a genuine, loving happy family lad. He loved all his family."

She added: "I don't exactly know what his going to happen today at least until the police come back to see me.

"We are hoping the post mortem examination is today and he has to be formally identified.

"But I do know it's him. The police told me yesterday that they had found a body and I said to them you must think it's Alex to tell me."

Mr Holland, 27, work delivering upholstery for Plumbs in Holmestone Road, St Radigund's, Dover.

He had two daughters aged eight and four, was living back with his parents in Delane Road, Deal, after being separated from his wife.

He vanished from the home on on the evening of November 28.

He had asked his father Mark to wake him up in the morning, because he had work and a dental appointment, and then went outside for a cigarette.

An hour later Mr Holland Sr found his son was not in his bed and assumed he had decided to go out.

Next day, after several unsuccessful attempts to reach him via his mobile, Mrs Holland reported him missing.

Police carried out searches for two days using drones and two helicopters. Kent Search and Rescue was also called in.

Mr Holland had hired a car while his own vehicle was in for repairs. Police later found it in Jubilee Road in Worth.

The family made repeated public appeals to help find him including through setting up a Facebook page called Help find Alex Holland.

Tragically, the body was found shortly after 12.10pm yesterday.

A Kent Police spokesman said last night: "Officers searching for a man reported missing from Deal have located a body.

"Formal identification has not yet taken place, however, the family of a 27-year-old man from Deal, who was reported missing on Sunday, November 28, have been informed.

"The death is not currently being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner."

Last night a posting on the Facebook page said: "It was confirmed that a body was found and it was Alex.

"I want to thank everyone that shared the posts. It was really appreciated, but now we have to grieve and come to terms with what has happened."

From then on there was an outpouring of sympathy from local people with nearly 400 messages of condolence on the page by this morning.