Police last night traced a car belonging to a jewellery who has been found dead at his home in suspicious circumstances.

Officers had been hunting for a blue Toyota RAV 4, with the registration M301 ORO since Alan Gardner, 49, was found dead at his home in the Perth and Kinross village of Balbeggie at lunchtime on Thursday.

His death is being treated as suspicious and police are appealing for witnesses.

Police would not disclose where the vehicle was found, but the cul de sac in the Croft Park area consisting of five homes off the main street has been sealed off.

More than a dozen police vehicles including a mobile command van were stationeed there.

Uniformed officers stood guard as forensic teams worked at the property where he ran a jewellery business making and repairing rings, bracelets and watches.

Mr Gardner was originally from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, and moved to to Balbeggie with his former wife Jennifer and their young daughter six years ago.

Neighbourt Jackie Taylor, 73, said he was a "good lad" and an active member of the village.

She said: "I knew Alan quite well and there has been a lot of shock at what has happened.

"The police showed up around midday yesterday. Around 10 vans surrounded the place and taped it off.

"He hadn't been keeping too well recently. He had to stop driving for a while because he was having blackouts."

Another friend added said he had only spoken to Mr Gardner on Monday. The man added: "He was such a lovely, quiet man who kept to himself and I'm really at my wits end to think of a reason why this has happened."

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland's Tayside Division said: "An investigation is under way in to the suspicious death of a 49-year-old man at an address in the Balbeggie area of Perthshire."