Close to £5,000 has been raised for the family of an Aberystwyth man who died whilst holidaying in Spain.

Josh Rogers was found dead in a wood just days after going out on a solo trip to Spain this September.

The 33-year-old was last seen leaving his hotel in Lloret de Mar in Catalonia on 20 September - his body was discovered three days later on 23 September.

Family say it was not in his character to disappear, with authorities estimating his body had been in the woods for about 48 hours before it was found.

Originally from Bloxwich in the West Midlands, Josh had lived in Aberystwyth for the last three years.

Friends are now hoping to raise £5,500 to support the family with the costs of repatriating his body and the funeral.

Staff from Bar 46 in Aberystwyth, which Josh visited regularly, have put out a charity bucket on the bar to help fundraising efforts, saying in a statement: “Josh was always so friendly, always up for a chat, and a familiar face - we’ll all miss him dearly at Bar 46.

“His loss has left a huge gap in the lives of everyone who knew him.

“As his family face this incredibly difficult time, they are also dealing with the unexpected costs of bringing him home and giving him the farewell he deserves...

“Thank you so much for showing your kindness and helping us honour Josh’s memory together as a community.”

Josh had arrived in Spain on 19 September, and was last seen leaving his hotel just before 1pm the following day.

Family and friends started raising the alarm after he had not been heard from for days, before his body was discovered in the woods near a residential estate outside the town.

His family stated that the woods were “nowhere near” tourist areas and was found without a phone or money.

Having flown out to Spain, his family say that despite appeals, no one has reported any sightings of Josh after he left the hotel.

Earlier this month, the family returned home to the UK with Josh’s belongings but without his body - the authorities awaiting DNA results.

Dionne Rogers, Josh’s mum, described him as a “well-mannered, talkative, gentle person who easily made friends”.

She said: “I was unable to [visit his body,] identify him and say goodbye.

“Our family are heartbroken but won't give up trying to find out what happened to him.

“Spanish and Welsh police have been very supportive, but we still have no idea what happened to Josh.”

An online fundraiser launched by family friend Kimberley Lewis has so far raised £4,716: “It’s very upsetting what the family must be going through.

“We don’t want them to worry when they’re going through so much grief.

“The whole community, his friends and family, have raised that money.

“Everyone loved Josh - he was a cheeky chappy.

“We just want to support the family as much as possible.”

Donate to the GoFundMe page here - https://www.gofundme.com/f/josh-rogers