The Norfolk man murdered at his home in Kenya had said someone had tried to poison his dogs in the run-up to his death, it has been reported.

John Middleton, 75 and who used to live in Sheringham, was found dead in his bathtub in Mombasa on Saturday.

It has been reported that someone had tried to poison the former referee and keen golf player's dogs.

Mr Middleton was due to take part in a round of golf on Saturday morning but did not turn up, his club captain, Dinesh Sasan said.

Mr Middleton had reported someone had tried to poison his dogs in the days leading up to his death, Mr Sasan told the BBC.

Mr Sasan has described how the Utange district, where Mr Middleton lived, was not in a location where many expatriates resided.

READ MORE: Sheringham man John Middleton hacked to death in Kenya

(Image: Facebook) He said: "Unfortunately the area he was in was not a very secure one".

It was reported that nothing had been stolen from the property.

Mr Middleton was reportedly attacked with a machete, which has been found at the scene.

Deputy county commissioner for the Kisauni constituency, Jamleck Mbuba said there appeared to have been "a slight struggle".

He told NTV Kenya: "The scene was not very disturbed."

More tributes have been paid by members of the Norfolk community.  

READ MORE: Sheringham man John Middleton hacked to death in Kenya

Tributes from the Norfolk community have been paidTributes from the Norfolk community have been paid (Image: Archant)

Mike Holmes, from Sheringham and a referee, said: "John was what you would call a 'one off'.

"He was a lovely man with a cheerful, outgoing approach to life.

"John could hold his own in a lively discussion about many things.

"John was a much-respected referee and I would suggest that we both tended to mentor each other on our abilities in controlling matches at county level - John also enjoyed a pint of the amber nectar in our aftermatch assessments.

"He did not ask for very much out of his gentle lifestyle as he was always a cheerful, undemanding character.

"We can only now join with his far-reaching family, friends and contacts in saying that John Middleton was an all-round good guy who surely never asked for the ending to his life which has left us and many others totally appalled and deeply saddened."