A man has died after being repeatedly kicked in the head during a 'vicious and sustained' attack in a city park.
Christopher Folkes died from severe head injuries after he was brutally attacked in Queen's Park, Blackburn on Saturday night.
Witnesses said the 37-year-old was walking through the park around 9.30pm when he was heckled by a pack of ten men.
It is thought that he shouted back and three men of the men chased after him.
Horrified eyewitnesses said the victim was kicked repeatedly in the head as he lay unconscious and helpless on the ground.
A jogger and a man walking his dog rushed to the side of the lake, where Christopher lay bleeding, and gave first aid until the paramedics arrived.
Less than 24 hours later he was pronounced dead.
Police launched a murder investigation after Mr Folkes, who was unmarried and from the Shadsworth area, died at 8.30pm last night at Royal Blackburn Hospital.
His family were at his bedside when his life-support machine was switched off.
Three men, aged 16, 20 and 22, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
A group of up to 10 Asian and white young men were seen drinking near a football field in the park just before the violent assault.
Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, leading the investigation, said: 'This was a really vicious and sustained attack on a man who at this moment in time was walking in the park, completely unrelated to the group we are wishing to trace.
'The motive is still unclear but we do know alcohol was consumed.
'He was in the park when the three Asian males in the group had a verbal altercation with him and then there has been a short chase, which has resulted in the attack. Christopher had tried unsuccessfully to escape.
'It was quite a prolonged and sustained attack. The witnesses who observed it said he was kicked repeatedly, particularly about the head but also in the body as well.'
He added: 'Christopher's family were very quickly at his bedside when they received the sad news that they were intending to switch the life-support machine off.
'His family are obviously absolutely distraught that his life has been taken away so cruelly in such circumstances.'
A post mortem revealed the cause of death was head injuries
1 comment:
This is bang out of order, who do these people think they are. they need locking up for good. These men who are to blame will be free in a couple of years, thats if they even get locked up at all. A man has died but still the people that did it can still walk the streets. Its disgusting how people get awa with such things. Why is there not cctv in the park area where this happened. Its a disgrace on the police part also. bring these men to justice who are to blame for this attack.
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