The grieving family of Peter Smiddy, whose body was found a week after he went missing while walking in the mountains of Majorca, today paid tribute to the retired police officer.

And Mr Smiddy's son Andrew spoke of his efforts to help find his father after flying out to the Spanish island to join the search.

Peter Smiddy, 65, of Eldwick, who was on holiday with a friend, disappeared while walking alone in a mountainous area popular with hikers but regarded as treacherous by locals.

His friend raised the alarm when he failed to return to their hotel and, following a week-long search involving tracker dogs, Red Cross volunteers, police and mountain rescue workers, his body was found by a helicopter search team.

In a statement issued today, Mr Smiddy's family said: "He was a keen and experienced fell walker and traveller who loved walking in the countryside and mountains.

"He'd been to the Grand Canyon and Thailand in the last 12 months, and later this year was due to go to Nepal for a walk to the base camp on Mount Everest.

"He loved the mountains in Majorca, had been there on numerous occasions and knew that area like the back of his hand.

"He was also a family-oriented man - a very quiet and pleasant man who loved spending time with his grandchildren.

"We're all just extremely shocked and saddened by his death. It was a tragic accident - we think he'd had a fall and subsequently died from hypothermia.''

Andrew Smiddy, 40, of Eldwick, himself a detective constable based at Eccleshill, said: "I went out there to help look for him and was with the mountain-rescue people for four days. It was terrible when he was found but it was even worse when we couldn't find him, not knowing what had happened.''

The father of two said they had been told by officials who carried out an autopsy in Majorca that the cause of his father's death was hypothermia.

Peter Smiddy retired from West Yorkshire Police in 1985, having served as a Bradford-based officer for 27 years and rising to the rank of inspector.

He leaves his son Andrew, 40, daughter Hilary Turnbull, 38, and grandchildren Laura, 13, Sophie, ten, Jade, ten, and four-year-old Jack.

His wife of 40 years, Pat, died from cancer just under two years ago.

His body was flown back to Britain yesterday afternoon and his son said they were hoping to hold a funeral service at Nab Wood Crematorium next week when a collection will be taken in aid of War on Cancer.

e-mail: ian.lewis @bradford.newsquest.co.uk