DETECTIVES hunting the killer of a North-East man have called on nightclub revellers to come forward with vital information.

A murder investigation was launched after David Cutts, of Nimbus Close, Marton Manor, Middlesbrough, was declared brain dead and his life support machine switched off on Monday afternoon.

The 49-year-old's family were by his bedside when doctors made the decision.

The married father-of-one suffered severe head injuries when he fell down stairs at Benson's Bar, in Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road, early on Sunday.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Cutts had suffered other injuries - said to be "not consistent with a mere fall" - which detectives are reluctant to reveal at this stage in their investigation.

So far, other revellers in the bar have been reluctant to come forward with information.

Detective Inspector Paul Richardson, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are treating his death as a potential murder and every customer who was there is a potential witness.

"People who were in this bar late on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning will have information that is vital to us.

"They may think that what they saw or know is of little value - we will be the judge of that."

While paramedics were treating Mr Cutts outside the club, just after 1am on Sunday, police were called to deal with a disturbance that erupted on the dance floor of the two-storey building.

Although detectives are not directly linking the two incidents, Det Insp Richardson said: "There is a history of incidents at the club. It is a premises that the police have been called to on previous occasions."

Anyone who has information is asked to call the incident room in confidence on (01642) 301333 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.