Police trace Abby Saber’s last days after Camborne death

He spent the last weekend of September in Truro, sleeping in a tent and taking in the food festival. By the Tuesday morning he had been found unconscious beside a river in Camborne, and he could not be saved. Now detectives want to fill in the hours in between.

📷Abdellah 'Abby' Saber

Found by the river at Tuckingmill

Police were called by the ambulance service at around 7.15am on Tuesday 29 September, after a report of an unconscious man by the river on Tolgarrick Road, Tuckingmill, Camborne.

Despite resuscitation efforts, Abdellah Saber, 57, known to his family as Abby, was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been told and are being supported.

Scene guards stayed in place at Tuckingmill Valley Park for several days while the first stages of the investigation were carried out. His death is being treated as unexplained.

From Truro to Camborne

Detectives investigating his death are trying to establish what led up to it, and they are particularly keen to hear from anyone who saw him in the days beforehand.

Detective Inspector Jonathan Bray said: “We are continuing to explore various lines of enquiry as we seek to understand what happened to Abdellah in the days and hours before his death.

“We know Abdellah was sleeping in a tent in Truro and attended Truro Food Festival over the weekend of 25-27 September.

“He then travelled to the Camborne area on Monday 28 September.

“In addition to this we believe Abdellah may have been assaulted during the course of this weekend.

“We are appealing to anybody who knew Abdellah or may have seen him or an assault in the days before his death, to get in touch.”

How to get in touch

Anyone with information or footage that could help the investigation is asked to call 101 or contact Devon and Cornwall Police online, quoting reference 50260260994.

📷Abdellah 'Abby' Saber

“He deserved so much more”

In a tribute, his family said: “Our world has been devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of someone who was deeply loved and who was taken from us far too soon.

“Abby was a genuinely beautiful soul, warm-hearted, generous and full of life, with an adventurous spirit and a natural kindness that touched those around him.

“He had so much more life to live, so many more adventures to experience and so many memories yet to make.

“The pain of losing him is beyond words, made all the more unbearable by the unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of his death.

“We are appealing to anyone who may have information. No family should have to endure this devastation while searching for answers. He deserved so much more, and we owe it to him to understand what happened.”

📷Abdellah 'Abby' Saber