Detectives hunting missing businessman John Lewis fear he may have staged a Reggie Perrin-style disappearance, write Rebecca Smith and Andrew Ffrench.

Now police have launched an investigation into his business affairs, including a firm he used to run in Oxford.

Mr Lewis's charred clothes were found on Monday alongside a fire-damaged lawnmower at his £400,000 home beside the River Severn in Gloucestershire. Initially police thought he might have been engulfed in flames after refuelling his sit-on lawnmower near a garden bonfire, and jumped into the river.

Divers spent Tuesday dragging the river, which fronts on to his detached home in Minsterworth Court.

But now police have uncovered a tangled business background and detectives are not ruling out the possibility that he faked his death - like Seventies sit-com hero Reggie Perrin, played by Leonard Rossiter.

Mr Lewis was once a director of Finesse Oxford Ltd, in Minns Estate, West Way, Oxford. He lived at Boars Hill House before selling up for about £750,000 two years ago and moving to Gloucestershire. Last night it emerged that one of his businesses was struck off the register at Companies House after failing to file accounts.

Insp Dave Smith, heading the search for Gloucester police, said: "We will be looking into Mr Lewis's background and want to find him, dead or alive.

"We are treating this as a missing person inquiry and the theory he went into the river is one of a couple at this time."

Detectives have also appealed for three men spotted in a boat on the Severn near the scene at 2.45pm on Monday to come forward.

Mr Lewis's wife Patricia appealed for anyone who knew her husband to get in touch. The official receiver in Reading confirmed that Mr Lewis's latest business venture, Associated Marble Importers, went into liquidation in December. His businesses imported ornamental stone and marble for fireplaces.

A former Oxford business associate, who did not want to be named, said: "He is a very wealthy man, a real character in the business. I have known him 12 years. His disappearance is very mysterious."

A search of records at Companies House revealed two other businesses associated with Mr Lewis. Finesse (Norfolk) was launched in June 1994 but wound up three years later. Between October 1995 and July 1997, six county court judgements totalling almost £6,000 were recorded against the firm.

Mr Lewis set up Finesse (Scotland) in March 1995 but it was struck off last year after complaints that it had not kept its accounts up to date.

Story date: Thursday 15 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.