Hartlepool father-of-one David Dixon is 'nicest, most affable, kind, peaceful man you could ever meet' as search goes on following Brussels attacks

David Dixon, 51, a father-of-one who works as a computer programmer, was heading to work on the city's metro system, but never arrived.

His partner, Charlotte Sutcliffe, has been visiting hospitals and medical centres in the hope of finding him alive and friends and family have launched an online appeal for information.

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Mr Dixon, known as 'Did', is a former pupil at High Tunstall school in Hartlepool. He studied economics at Newcastle University and used to work for British Airways, but is understood to have recently been working for Toyota.

His brother is understood to be a solicitor in Hartlepool.

A childhood friend said that his family were clinging to the possibility Mr Dixon was still alive and had not been able to communicate his whereabouts because of the chaos in the aftermath of the bombings.

"We are all hoping he is somehow going to be found alive somewhere," they said.
"I am smiling now, thinking about him. He is the life and soul of the party, always the first to get up and dance, always a laugh, a dry wit and very intelligent.

"He is also the nicest, most affable, kind, peaceful, tolerant person you could ever meet.

"The thought he has been caught up with those mad fanatics is just tragic - they may have taken such a good life."

Though he has been away from the North-East for some years, another friend said Mr Dixon has never forgotten his roots and is understood to have been due to return shortly for his birthday.

They told The Northern Echo: "He has really taken to the whole Brussels way of life, but he has always kept very strong roots with the North. 

"He retains much of his links. We were all part of a gang growing up. People maybe moved out of Hartlepool, but because we are from the North-East we have always kept in touch.

"Speaking to Did, you pick up where you left off. It was never 'he was living there, you were living here'. It's the Hartlepool way, the Northern way, he is a proper Northern lad."

Ms Sutcliffe’s sister Marie told the BBC that Charlotte had been visiting hospitals in the hope of finding him.

“Understandably, she is very, very distressed,” said Marie.

“Not everybody has been identified yet, of the injured, so it’s waiting for that process to happen. Everybody is struggling with communication there, or they were yesterday, with phones being down and there being a lockdown.”

Marie added: “She’s been on social media with friends helping to put out the message that he is still missing. She has been involved with the British consulate. When she was at the hospital, she had an interview with the police so they’ve got all the details now.

“It’s just waiting. It’s heartbreaking and very worrying.”

His aunt, Ann Dixon, who still lives in Hartlepool, is reported as saying her nephew was due to return home next week for his birthday. She said: "As soon as I heard on the news about the explosion at the airport I thought of David and I texted him to ask whether he was all right.

"It was a relief when he texted back soon afterwards and said he was safe and fine. He said he hadn't even realised that there had been bombs going off at the airport, I guess it's because he was getting ready to go to work.

"He told me I was the first person who had let him know. He travelled into Brussels on the Metro every day and after we'd texted he must have gone straight out and got on the Metro that was attacked. It was only an hour later when that bomb went off."

Simon Hartley-Jones, who described himself as a "very good friend" of Mr Dixon, said he was missing and asked his followers to retweet the appeal to find him.

The blasts at the city's airport and Metro left 34 people dead.

Mr Hartley-Jones told the BBC that Mr Dixon and his partner Charlotte Sutcliffe, who have a seven-year-old son, had lived in Brussels for about 10 years.

He said: "David is a programmer and works in the centre of Brussels. He makes his way there every day using the metro system. For some reason he hasn't made it... and we're really concerned about him."

"It's really unusual for him not to contact [Charlotte] - it's really out of character."

He described Mr Dixon as "a lovely guy" and "an amazing man who deeply deeply loves his son".

According to his Facebook page, Mr Dixon, who was a pupil at High Tunstall school in Hartlepool, studied economics at Newcastle University and used to work for British Airways but has recently been working for Toyota.

Mark Tilling, the Headteacher of High Tunstall College of Science in Hartlepool, said: "Our thoughts go out at this difficult time to his family and friends.”