TWO people whose bodies were discovered on the Ceredigion Coast Path a short distance from New Quay have been named locally as Mandy Mousley and Emyr Jacob Davies.

The couple had been reported missing on Easter Sunday, sparking social media appeals by concerned friends and relatives.

Their bodies were found on Wednesday, 4 April, and Dyfed-Powys Police described the deaths as “unexplained”, adding that next of kin had been informed.

It is believed that the couple had been camping and were overcome by fumes.

Mr Davies’ mother paid tribute to her son. She said: "Emyr was a kind and loving son, brother and uncle. We’ll miss and love him forever. Rest in peace.”

Ms Mousley, 47, a former carer who worked at Costcutter in New Quay, leaves a son, Sam Harries.

Mr Davies, a 49-year-old farmer from Llanarth, was well-known locally as Ems and for regularly conducting his own litter-picks along the coastal path.

Local county councillor Dan Potter described Ms Mousley and Mr Davies as “two beautiful people”.

“The whole town is in tears – everyone is so heartbroken because we knew them and saw them regularly,” he added. “At the moment we just don’t understand why or how. For this type of thing to happen to a small fishing town like New Quay is just devastating.”

Cllr Potter, who, as coxswain of the New Quay lifeboat himself, took part in the search, said: “At the moment no-one seems to know anything. Mandy lived just two doors away from me and we’d known each other for years. She was a larger-than-life character – mega-popular with a heart of gold – and her family had lived here for generations.

“These deaths have left a massive hole in the town – in fact I’ve never experienced so much sadness around the place.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow