Fears for Nottinghamshire man missing from Vietnam hotel

Steve Bush, originally from Nottinghamshire, has lived in Vietnam for 10 years

The family of a man who has disappeared abroad have said they are worried he has been murdered over a debt.

Steve Bush, originally from Nottinghamshire, has lived in Vietnam for 10 years but vanished last week from the hotel where he lived.

His sister, Amanda Bush, said they believe he was behind with his rent, then was taken ill and got into a taxi but never arrived at hospital.

She said the waiting was "horrendous" but thanked friends for their support.

Amanda Bush said the family had been sent messages that her brother had been kidnapped or murdered

Ms Bush said: "I can't cope with it, I can't stand it. I am very, very worried.

"It is hard being here while he is over there, especially when we are getting messages he has been kidnapped or murdered - you just don't know.

"It seems like it is connected to the debt and we dare not go over in case we become targets."

Steve Bush's family were alerted by his girlfriend, who had not seen him in three days

Mr Bush lived in Australia before moving to Vietnam and had been living in the hotel in Vung Tau, a resort near Ho Chi Minh City, for some time.

Amanda Bush, who lives in Stapleford, Lincolnshire, said the family were alerted via social media in the early hours of Sunday by his girlfriend, who had not seen him in three days.

Ms Bush said the girlfriend also reported receiving phone calls demanding she pick Mr Bush up and pay off a £1,000 debt.

A family friend who is in the area went to investigate and found his passport, phone and laptop in the hotel room, and also discovered Mr Bush's visa had expired.

'Complete mystery'

His nephew, Freddie Booth, said the hotel told them they had put Mr Bush in a taxi.

"Yet the taxi company do not acknowledge picking him up and the hospital say they have not treated an English person.

"So we don't know; it is a complete mystery," he said.

Lincolnshire Police confirmed they had alerted Interpol.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing in Vietnam."