Matthew Gill: How search for missing Stourbridge man stretched from Los Angeles to Devon

But despite the best efforts of thousands of people, on Sunday the family of Matthew Gill received the news the search was over.

The discovery of a body believed to be that of the 43-year-old B&Q worker from Stourbridge was made in woodland close to where his car had been found weeks earlier.

The find was a crushing blow for his family who had refused to stop believing he was still alive.

In an emotional statement, heartbroken partner Annette Woodhouse said it was with 'unbearable sadness' that she had to announce his death.

An army of volunteers had joined friends and family in helping the search for Mr Gill after he vanished on October 6, having last been seen leaving home around 9am.

• MORE: Matthew Gill: Heartbroken family announce missing Stourbridge man found dead

• MORE: Matthew Gill: Police say body found in woodland near Stourbridge

Posters were put up both locally and further afield, while a social media campaign reached three million people, as both Wolves and West Brom helped spread the word.

Alexia Fletcher, aged 35, who helped set up the Twitter appeal, said she believed the family had not given up hoping he could still be alive.

She said: "The family want to say a massive thank you to everyone. So many companies donated. It does cost a lot to print and laminate posters, we are talking thousands and thousands.

"Right from day one people were coming to help put them up. A lot of them had never even met Matthew or the family so they are so overwhelmed how the community came together. It just goes to show there is good in the community."

Miss Fletcher, who knows the family through a friend, said tweets from the appeal page reached as far as Los Angeles, Chicago and Puerto Rico while hardy volunteers travelled to Devon to put up posters to help spread the word.

Tributes poured in for Mr Gill on the Facebook appeal page.

Donna Rushton said: "I am so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you all as they have been all the way through the search. My heart goes out to you all."

Emma Hatton said: "Thoughts with you all at this sad sad time. We were all hoping for a positive outcome. I hope you can all find some peace in time."