A MURDER inquiry was opened this week after the death of a man found unconscious in the street.

Mark Connorton, 37, the divorced father of a nine-year-old boy, died in hospital after fighting for his life for more than a week. He had suffered severe head injuries during an incident in King Street, Redcar, in the early hours of Sunday, June 8.

It is understood Mr Connorton, an IT consultant from Marske, never regained consciousness. He died on Tuesday in Middlesbrough General Hospital.

His distraught mother, Olive, also of Marske, paid tribute to her son.

She said: "Mark was a lovely son, a good dad and very nice man. He will be very badly missed by so many people."

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "Mr Connorton's family has been informed about his death. The police investigation has now become a murder inquiry."

A man has appeared in court on charges relating to the alleged attack. But police say they are trying to trace a second man and other people who may have been in the area before Mr Connorton was found at about 3am. They are displaying posters around Redcar appealing for information.

Door-to-door inquiries have been made and two women who gave first aid to Mr Connorton have been interviewed. Detectives have also been studying closed circuit TV footage to see if the incident was caught on police video.

Mr Connorton spent the early part of the evening of Saturday, June 7, at Marske WMC before going to O'Riley's Gym in Redcar. He left there at about 9.30pm. He was not seen again until he was found injured. Anyone with any information is asked to call police on (01642) 302626 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

* Ronald Stocks, 37, of Aintree Road, Redcar, has been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm. He is due to appear at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday, July 10.