Heartbroken family pays tribute to 'brilliant' grandad tragically found dead in Saddleworth

The family of a 'brilliant’ grandad who was tragically found dead in a remote area of Saddleworth a day after he vanished have paid an emotional tribute to him following his death aged 82.

John Derek Leyland, known to his friends as Derek, had been reported as missing after he was last seen at the Tame Valley Squash & Tennis Club on Greenbridge Lane at around 10am on Tuesday (January 2). A police appeal was shared that included CCTV images of him before he went missing.

A day later, on Wednesday (January 3) Derek’s body was found by a walker near to the reservoir in Greenfield and was later recovered by police and Oldham Mountain Rescue. Formal identification later proved it was the missing 82-year-old. Officers do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

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Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, his daughter Sarah Wharton, remembered her ‘wonderful’ father.

“He was very close to his grandsons. He loved and looked after his family until he died. He’s been a wonderful husband, an incredible father, and a brilliant grandfather”, she said.

After Derek, who lived in Grotton, was reported missing, hundreds of members of the community went out to search for him.

Sarah said: “Lots of people knew him through his connections to local groups and the squash club. He was a local legend in Saddleworth and that was evidenced by the response we had to search for him throughout the day and night.

“All our friends, hundreds of people, were out looking for him. It’s been such a wonderful tribute to him. At one point the Facebook appeal for him had been shared more than a