Tributes to Martin Lewis’s former colleague Anthony Hill
- Police have said a body has been found near an area of woodland in Norwich
MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis‘s former colleague Anthony Hill ‘will never be far from our heart’ says a heartbroken parent at the school where he was teaching before going missing on his 37th birthday.
Families of children who attended the primary school where Mr Hill worked have posted tributes with one parent who helped organise the search for Anthony saying she wished she could have helped brighten his darkness.
Mr Hill paid for a bottle of flavoured water at one of the self-service tills at the Co-op on Sprowston Road shortly before 10am on Monday June 17 before he disappeared, staff in the shop said.
His body was found near an area of woodland in Norwich called Heathgate.
The father-of-two had worked for the financial advice company for almost six years before he retrained as a teacher, working at St William’s Primary School in Thorpe St Andrew.
Anthony Hill, aged 37, had been last seen at 7.45am on Monday when he left his home in Norwich
tributes have poured in on social media for the journalist-turned-teacher including one from a parent at the school he had started teaching at who said he would be in their hearts forever
Mr Hill, pictured with his wife Kayleigh before he went missing
Writing on Facebook yesterday evening, the woman wrote: ‘I don’t know where to start. Everyone at school couldn’t fail to know Mr Hill, smiling funny kind lovely Mr Hill. I was disappointed my lass missed him joining as her class teacher. But she talked about him all the time
‘Whether it was getting pelted with water at the fete, his infamous cow noises or singing loudly to Rhiannas ‘Umbrella’ in Just Dance, he made school a happy place.
‘He is the kind of person you look at letting the kids out and think ‘they are in such good hands’
‘The last time I spoke to him he took the time to approach me and tell me how kind my daughter had been to his eldest daughter when she helped out in Year 1- that she was talking about her older friend all the time at home. He made the effort to promote kindness and solidarity.
‘I left that day feeling happier that as a single parent since my lass was 1 (10 years ago!) I was actually doing a good job. He made me believe in myself a little more. He brightened my darkness. It will be my eternal regret that perhaps I couldn’t do the same for him.
‘We will miss you Anthony, miss your smiling face and wonderful way with your little charges. Our whole school has a hole we need to build our lives around…we are all rallying around your wife and daughters. I don’t know how we will do it, but we will do it in your tradition of love and kindness.
‘… You will never be far from the school’s heart.
Always and forever our Mr Hill.’
This CCTV still shows Anthony Hill the day he vanished – his 37th birthday
Map shows the timeline of the search for missing former colleague of Martin Lewis, Anthony Hill
Mr Hill is pictured at the Co-op store on Sprowston Road at around 10am on Monday buying a bottle of flavoured water
t Martin Lewis has shared an emotional tribute to his former colleague on X
MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis had appealed for help to find Mr Hill
The former journalist was last seen leaving his home on Plumstead Road East at 7.45am on June 17 – and the school later said that he had been reported as missing.
A statement from Norfolk Police said: ‘Police can confirm the body of a man was found in Norwich last night.
‘The body was discovered in an area off Heathgate in the city shortly before 8pm.
‘Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, the family of 37-year-old Anthony Hill, who was reported missing from his home in Norwich on Monday have been informed.
‘The death is not believed to be suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner in due course.’
Tributes also flooded in for Mr Hill on social media including from his former colleague.
Lewis called it the ‘worst possible news’ as he sent his love to Anthony Hill’s wife and daughters.
He wrote yesterday: ‘It’s with a heavy heart I share this. My love to Ant’s wife Kayleigh and their little girls. It’s the worst news.
‘I’m so sorry for all Ant’s friends and his little pupils. I will remember you fondly Ant.
‘Also thanks to the thousands of you who shared the posts while Ant was missing, I know it gave succour to his family. RIP.’
