Police, friends and workmates have told of their fears for doting dad Donavan Van Lill after he disappeared – leaving behind his passport, mobile phone and wallet.

South African Mr Van Lill, 29, of Blackthorn Mews, Chippenham, has not been seen since last Wednesday morning.

Dominic Giraud, a friend and fellow South African who is a team mate at Corsham Rugby Club, is mystified.

The pair last spoke the day before he vanished, to discuss a return to South Africa. Mr Giraud, 27, said: “Don was asking me whether I could go back to South Africa with him at the end of the month, but it was difficult and I said I couldn’t.

“The next thing I hear is that he’s disappeared. It just doesn’t make any sense. There are so many scenarios, my head’s spinning.”

Mr Van Lill, who works at the Olympiad Leisure Centre in Chippenham as a fitness instructor, has a son in South Africa and a young daughter in Chippenham.

Friend Melodie Snyman said: “He absolutely loves his little girl and he sees her quite a lot.

“The weekend before last he took her to Bournemouth and he probably would have seen her this weekend too.

“She certainly would have wanted to speak to him if she hadn’t seen him because she is a little daddy’s girl.”

Mr Van Lill’s girlfriend Radka Paulovicava is thought to have flown to Egypt on Tuesday last week, and police have been in contact with her to check he was not with her.

Mr Van Lill’s close friend Bonita Andre said: “None of us know much about his girlfriend except that she has gone on holiday, but we would like to know anything she might be able to tell us.”

On Tuesday police raised the alert on Mr Van Lill’s disappearance from low to medium risk.

It was initially thought Mr Van Lill had taken a duffle bag with him, but it was found in his car by friends on Monday.

Ms Snyman said: “If he didn’t take anything with him he obviously wasn’t planning on leaving the house for long.”