A MAN who disappeared after a disagreement with his wife is thought to have collapsed and died just minutes after deciding to return home.

Police carried out a detailed examination of the spot where the body of Hampshire taxi driver John Martin was found almost two months after he went missing.

Footprints in the soil suggest that he had just begun to walk home when he keeled over.

His widow, Corin Martin, of Elgin Close, Hythe, was briefed by police after her husband's body was found about a mile from Moonhills car park near Exbury.

"It looks as if John stood up, took two steps in the direction of Hythe and then fell forwards," she said.

Mr Martin, known to friends and family as "Noddy", disappeared on February 15 after a difficult day at work.

His wife urged him to cheer up and then went to visit a friend. When she returned 90 minutes later he had left the house, having removed his wedding ring.

Mrs Martin, 44, said: "I think he went off in a strop and needed to calm down.

"He probably felt he needed a bit of space, but definitely didn't commit suicide and always intended to come home.

The post-mortem proved inconclusive but Mrs Martin believes her husband collapsed and then died from exposure. Temperatures on the night went down to -4oC.

Mr Martin, 50, died in a secluded part of the Forest and it took almost two months to find his body.

Family members have made a pilgrimage to the spot where he spent his last hours.

Mrs Martin added: "It's extremely peaceful, which is very comforting. It's also reassuring that if he was still sitting there at night he was facing the lights of Fawley refinery and wasn't in the dark."

A police spokesman said: "At this stage we are unable to confirm the precise details of John Martin's movements in the days and hours before his death.

"Police are conducting further enquiries to ascertain when the man died."