Renault Formula 1 workers have been offered counselling after a father-of-two was found shot dead at their headquarters.

Bill Millar, who had worked for the racing organisation for 27 years, died from a gunshot wound to the head and was discovered by colleagues after hearing a shot at Renault's base at Whiteways Technical Centre near Enstone on Wednesday.

No-one is being sought over his death and it is not being treated as suspicious.

Last night colleagues and villagers in Minster Lovell, where he lived with his wife Valerie, paid tribute to the 53-year-old, who held a managerial job in Renault's research and development programme.

A Renault spokesman said Mr Millar was a valued member of the team involved in designing "anything that can improve the car".

Patrizia Spinelli added: "We were all saddened and shocked by the news. Bill was an employee of the company for 27 years and much loved in the factory and very popular.

"Staff are incredibly shocked about what happened and we have offered them counselling."

Former colleague Greg Field worked with Mr Millar at Toleman - a previous incarnation of the team - in the 1980s when it was based in Station Lane in Witney.

Mr Field, 62, said: "Bill was a good guy and very approachable. He was very knowledgable. He had been around in racing a long time and knew the business very well."

In Minster Lovell, villagers were shocked to hear about Mr Millar's death.

Staff at Spar said he used to come into the shop regularly and they were saddened to hear the news.

In the Post Office and Stores, cashier Mandy Creece, 41, said her three children attended Burford Secondary School and St Kenelms Primary School with Mr Millar's son and daughter.

She said: "He was a proud family man who liked to be involved in the school community.

"I was shocked. It's terrible, so sad. I only saw him in Witney a couple of days before it happened."

Mr Millar's widow was too upset to comment.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Victoria Brandon said witnesses had seen Mr Millar walk to a bridlepath near Whiteways Technical Centre and then heard a gunshot.

She said: "The incident was initially investigated, but we are no longer treating the death as suspicious.

"We don't believe anyone else was involved."

Police refused to say what kind of gun was used in the shooting, nor whether Mr Millar held a gun licence.

TEAM HISTORY: RENAULT bought Benetton Formula Ltd in 2000. The team became known as Renault Formula One in 2002.

Benetton Formula Ltd - commonly referred to as Benetton - was an Formular One constructor that participated from 1986 and 2001.

The team was built on the ashes of the Toleman team, which folded in 1985. More than 500 staff work at Renault F1's headquarters near Enstone. Spaniard Fernando Alonso - who won back-to-back world championships with Renault - Is the team's number one driver. German-born Nelson Piquet Jr also drives for the team.

The team is competing in the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.