The family of devoted family man Phil Pearce are getting increasingly concerned for his safety, after he went missing whilst on holiday in Benidorm.

Phil, who has been diagnosed with dementia, works as a cleaner in his hometown of Bridgewater in Somerset, had arrived in Spain on Sunday 8 September.

Phil´s son, Wayne, who is in Spain looking for his father, explained how Phil was visiting the area for the first time with an old friend. Phil enjoyed a meal on Sunday evening before retiring for an early night.

On Monday he went out to find a tobacconist and seemingly just walked around Benidorm, and was seen in the old town in the early hours of the morning, where he had been in conversation with a man from Manchester.

Concerned for his welfare, the man took Phil to the police station, where they kept him for 4 hours, releasing him, unaccompanied, at 03:00 on Tuesday morning, which is the last time Phil was seen.

Phil was wearing a striped blue polo shirt (as seen in the picture), dark blue jeans and black shoes. Wayne describes him as a “happy go lucky” person, although with his confusion clear, he may not have that demeanour at the moment. He is normally clean shaven but is likely to be wearing stubble having not shaved for a number of days. He has grey hair, dark in places, lighter on the sides.

Phil is normally a social person, but under the circumstances is likely to be confused by his surroundings. It is possible that Phil is no longer in Benidorm, so we ask everyone to be on the lookout in case he may have travelled, possibly even attempting to return home.