THE family and friends of missing dad John Hawkins rallied together to help police in a desperate search to find the 51-year-old, an inquest has heard.

A huge search operation was launched after his concerned loved ones filed a missing person report to police.

Mr Hawkins, who was born in Chesterfield but worked as a self-employed landscape gardener in Lymm, went missing from his home in Lymm in the early hours of December 12.

The dad-of-two was last seen driving his black Mitsubishi L200 Warrior 4x4 car in Bala at around 1pm on December 12.

His vehicle was later found burnt out on the Denbigh Moors near Bylchau in north Wales.

During the opening of the inquest at Ruthin’s Coroners’ Court on Monday, Elizabeth Dudley-Jones, assistant coroner, also revealed how Mr Hawkins had been approached by officers in the days leading up to his death.

But the inquest heard how he provided police with an explanation for his whereabouts which gave them ‘no reason to be concerned’.

His body was discovered on January 2 in north Wales – three weeks after he was reported missing.

Following the discovery, police confirmed that his death was not being treated as suspicious.

A post-mortem examination has been completed but the cause of death has been withheld pending further tests.

Ms Dudley-Jones said the final stages of the inquest would take place at a later date.

The date for the next part of the inquest will be set in due course.