Tributes have been paid to Sean Hoare, the former Watford Observer reporter, who was found dead at his home in Watford yesterday morning.

Mr Hoare, who was 47, made international headlines last year when he told the New York Times that former editor of the News of the World Andy Coulson has asked him to hack into phones, a claim denied by Mr Coulson.

He later went on to repeat these claims to the BBC, insisting Mr Coulson knew phone hacking was taking place at the newspaper.

Police were called to Mr Hoare’s flat in Langley Road after neighbours became concerned for his welfare.

Although they have yet to confirm the body found was that of Mr Hoare, they have described his death as unexplained but not suspicious.

Mr Hoare joined the Watford Observer as a trainee reporter in the late 1980s and was given responsibility for covering the Bushey area.

He wrote a special supplement to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Watford Observer in 1988 and later worked in a team set up to produce its sister newspaper, the Watford Free.

Mr Hoare left the newspaper to write for The Sun’s Bizarre column, which focused on celebrity news, and it was here that he first teamed up with Andy Coulson.

He went on to work for the Sunday People before moving to the News of the World, where Mr Coulson was deputy editor.

On Twitter last night former colleagues spoke of their memories of Mr Hoare.

Journalist and broadcaster Adam Parsons, who also started his career at the Watford Observer and is now a columnist for the newspaper, said: “I was new and green about the world of journalism, but I'd come across a great tale, about George Michael.

“There was a George Michael exhibition in Bushey, where he went to school, and it turned out that he'd had his own secret preview visit.

“It was a great tale for the Watford Observer, and it was on the front page. I was chuffed. Then, two days later, it turned up in The Sun. I was pretty happy about that, but wondered how they got to know about it. And that's when Sean wandered over and told me the news.

“’Here's how it works’ he said and revealed how he'd flogged my story and quotes to their news desk. But being Sean, he'd had a pang of guilt ’You didn't know the rules did you?’ he said. ‘Not really, no.’ He smiled at me, split the money and we spent it in the pub.

“Proper old school journalist. Great smile. One of the most charismatic people you could ever meet. And now he's gone. Such a pity.”

Guardian journalist Simon Ricketts described Mr Hoare was "a lovely generous man" who took him under his wing as a work experience reporter at the Watford Observer He said: "He handed me a story on a plate. I went out to investigate, got all my notes and got back to the office and started to write it."

"I finished and Sean had a look. He got my notebook, extracted the best quotes, the one's I'd left in the notebook. He tickled, edited and expanded my story.

"By the time he'd finished, it was 100 times better. It got put on the front page of the paper. Sean insisted that my name go on the story.

“When the paper came out, he walked over with a copy. He gave me it with a flourish. ‘Congratulations on your first-ever splash,’ he said."

Group Editor Peter Wilson-Leary: “I saw Sean last year. He was still the smiling, cheeky chappy I remember from the late 1980s. It was fascinating to hear about the high rolling lifestyle he had led, fuelled by drink and drugs, but sad to see the punishing effect it had had on his body.

However Sean said he was determined to get his life back on track and settle down in his home town of Watford.

Sean was a soft, gentle and generous person who will be missed by all who worked with him at the Watford Observer.

Watford Observer Editorial Manager Frazer Ansell said: “Sean joined us as a trainee and from the outset his ambition was to work for the News of the World, something that of course, he went on to achieve with some distinction.

“He was a quiet and modest character who spoke in barely a whisper but his views came across loud and clear in the words he used and the stories he wrote.

“I spoke to him just a few weeks ago when he was inquiring about freelance work. Journalism was in his blood and despite the blows it had dealt him from time to time, he was still hungry for the excitement of a good story and a buzzing news room.

“He had a wide and loyal circle of friends who will miss him but his real legacy could be the courage and conviction he showed in speaking out about the News International phone hacking scandal.”