A COLCHESTER holidaymaker may have died as the result of a fall, a post mortem examination revealed.

French police have not ruled out murder or accidental death and have launched an appeal for witnesses.

50-year-old John Napoletani was staying at a French roadside hotel with his wife Evelyn, 64, and a friend when he disappeared late on Saturday night.

He was found on Sunday morning with a large head wound surrounded by a pool of blood in a car park by a wall.

Several members of his family, who also live in Colchester, went to France to comfort his wife and find out what happened.

Essex Police is currently liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

A spokesman for The Foreign Office said: “We were informed on October 26 of the death of a British national in France and we are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”

Mrs Napoletani, said: “I am devastated. It’s like a nightmare.

"I keep thinking I am going to wake up and it has all been a bad dream.”

The holidaymakers were driving back to Colchester after a break in Italy.

They had stopped in a Formule 1 Hotel in Dole, near the border with Switzerland, for the night on Saturday on their way back from Italy.

They were sharing a room with a friend and were drinking with others guests at tables in front of the hotel.

It is understood Mr Napoletani took a walk to get some fresh air.

His wife went to bed and when she woke up she noticed he was not back.

Concerned, she called police on Sunday at 9am after not being able to find him.

CCTV footage has so far proved inconclusive.

No murder weapon has been found and nothing is believed to have been stolen.

Early results of a post mortem examination carried out by French police suggest Napoletani might have fallen over, hitting his head against the floor.

Police are still investigating whether he was murdered.

They have asked anyone who saw Mr Napoletani between 11.30pm on Saturday and 8.30am on Sunday to call them.

Mr Napoletani was 1.75m tall and weighed 90 kg.

He had light hair and was balding at the front.

He was wearing a blue Hawaiian shirt with white flowers, a dark blue wool vest, beige or khaki colored trousers with a black leather belt, brown leather sandals with black socks.

His family have not yet issued a tribute with many members from Colchester still in France.