The family of a St Lucian pensioner who mysteriously disappeared the day he was dropped off in Hackney straight from the airport are devastated he is still missing nearly seven months on, and are appealing for help to trace him.

Augustin Anthony St Helen now 81, arrived in the UK from St Lucia via Gatwick Airport on September 5.

He asked friends he was travelling with to drop him off near Lea Bridge Road, in Lower Clapton, as he had made arrangements to be collected from there.

He called his wife to say he had arrived safely but he has not been heard from since.

His nephew, also named Augustin St Helen, from Chigwell said: “His wife who lives in St Lucia is almost blind, and she is distressed and crying every day, she is very depressed.

“They are just the two of them in the house, they were each other’s company, they were really close.

“He said he was going away for three weeks, she had no way of contacting him, he would usually phone her on the house phone.”

Mr St Augustin and his wife – who have been married for about 50 years - lived in the UK most of their lives, but emigrated from Shrubland Road, London Fields to St Lucia 15 years ago.

A diabetic, he would frequently visit the UK for a check up at the doctor and to pick up medication.

Mr St Augustin’s nephew has contacted friends he had known ever since he was a young boy as well as his best friend who he worked as a baker with at a West Indian bakery in Kingsland High Street, Dalston, and no one had been in contact with him.

“That seemed strange and suspicious and the alarm bells started ringing,” said his nephew.

“My worst fear is he’s 80, if he was alive he would have contacted somebody.

“I don’t know if he had money on him and his medication would have run out by now.

“He’s never disappeared before, I don’t think at that age he would just disappear, he was in a good frame of mind, he left St Lucia on his own, travelled all the way to the UK , so his brain was focused really well.

“It’s very upsetting and sad, we’re all very concerned.”

He is known as Sidney in the local St Lucian community and may also be using the name Anthony Augustin Moriella St Roman.

Enquiries already made by officers indicate that he has not travelled on beyond the UK.

Anyone who has seen Augustin St Helen or has information concerning his whereabouts should call 101and quote reference number 15MIS002627.