THE family of a man who died in a road traffic incident between Micheldever and Sutton Scotney has paid tribute to him.

Police are continuing their investigation into the death of Dr James Tiles and would like to hear from drivers who were in the area at the time.

It is believed that the 69-year-old, of Duke Street, Micheldever, who was known as Jim, died after coming off his bicycle at about 4pm on Monday, 13 January.

He was found on Trickets Lane, near the junction for Weston Colley.

In a statement, his family said: “Dr James (Jim) Tiles, was the other half of Dr Mary Tiles, to whom he was married for almost 45 years and who will be incomplete without him.

“A US citizen, he first came to the UK in 1966 as a Marshal Scholar to study mathematics and philosophy at the University of Bristol.

“His doctorate was from the University of Oxford (Balliol). He taught philosophy at the University of Reading until 1989 and then at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa until he retired in 2010.

“He was a dedicated, conscientious and very patient teacher who continued to work, after settling in Winchester and Micheldever, as a private mathematics tutor and as volunteer mathematics assistant at the Peter Symonds ACE centre.

“He was also an active volunteer member of the Army Training Regiment (Winchester) Independent Advisory Panel. However, like his father, he also loved to make things – mostly from wood – and was never happier than when in his workshop.

“He walked, cycled, dug the allotment and even did the ironing (but drew the line at cooking).”

Police are keeping an open mind into the cause of his death but at this time it is not believed that Dr Tiles was in collision with another vehicle.

Officers are continuing their appeal for witnesses and in particular would like to hear from the driver of a small, dark hatchback car, possibly a Fiat or Fiesta.

That person would have been travelling towards Micheldever from Stoke Charity and may have seen the cyclist prior to him being found.

Anyone with any information should contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.