The investigation into the death of a British expatriate whose body was found in the Bahamas with serious head injuries is “not being treated as a homicide”, according to Caribbean police.

The body of Dannie Lea, 29, a personal trainer from Stoke-on-Trent who had served a prison term in the UK for dealing cocaine, was found on a lawn in Eastern New Providence, Nassau, on Sunday 19 May.

Police have not confirmed the cause of death but local media reported that he had suffered serious head injuries.

He was barefoot and dressed only in his underwear when he was found by a security guard in the yard of a home in a gated community, according to local newspapers.

Caribbean police said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding his death but that it was “not being treated as a homicide”.

A Royal Bahamas police force spokeswoman told the BBC a postmortem examination had been completed but the results have yet to be made public.

Lea, who has an 11-year-old son, is thought to have moved to the Bahamas to try turn his life around.

Friends and family paid tribute to Lea, who had reportedly been working as a personal trainer and an oil engineer on the Caribbean island.

Lea’s ex-partner, who wished to remain anonymous, told MailOnline: “Dannie was a kind and gentle-natured man with a young son and large family.”

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: “Our staff are supporting the family of a British man following his death in the Bahamas, and are in contact with the Bahamian authorities. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”

Staffordshire Police said: “This incident is being dealt with by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and no referrals have been made to Staffordshire police.”

The office for the North Staffordshire coroner said its inquiry would take place if and when Lea’s body is repatriated back to the UK.