A 59-year-old man was killed with ‘one punch’ after being attacked by a gang of youths in a row over them throwing fireworks.
The unnamed man died in hospital yesterday evening after being hit in the face outside a takeaway in Rochdale town centre on Thursday.
He was believed to have been having a cigarette outside the Reed Hotel pub when he told a group of teenagers to stop throwing fireworks.
He then walked to Dixy Fried Chicken takeaway nearby on Reed Hill off Yorkshire Street to get some food, when he was approached by up to five men.
A man has died after being hit with ‘one punch’ outside Dixy Fried Chicken in Rochdale on Thursday evening. A crime scene is now in place (pictured)
Police say the victim, thought to be a regular in the Reed Hotel, was punched once in the face, fell backwards and hit his head on the floor at around 9.15pm.
He was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.
A witness, who asked not to be named, said the victim was in the chicken shop at the same time as some of the group who attacked him.
They had what appeared to be an argument outside the door of the takeaway, a punch was thrown and the victim fell backwards, smashing his head on the road.
The man is believed to have been smoking outside the Reed Hotel before going to the takeaway (pictured) to get some food
He was then approached by a group of up to five men before being attacked and knocked to the floor with ‘one punch’
The witness said the group then ran off towards the direction of Saint Mary’s Gate.
An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault but has been bailed.
A friend of the victim told Manchester Evening News: ‘It was around 9.15pm when a group of lads were setting off bangers – all we did was tell them to behave.
‘Then I went back into the pub and he went over to Dixie Chicken and the next thing I hear what’s happened. I run over and he’s on the floor with blood on his head.
‘I can’t believe it – he was such a good guy, he’d never hurt a fly. He’d had a stroke recently.’
The row was supposedly over the man telling the group not throw fireworks
An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault but was released on bail
Det Insp Wes Knights of Greater Manchester Police said: ‘Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this tragic time, we are doing all that we can to find those responsible and give the family the answers they deserve.
‘I need to hear from anyone who was in the Reed Hill area who may have seen something.
‘It’s a busy part of town in the evening and I would urge people to come forward with information which could be vital for us trying to establish how this man came to be seriously assaulted.’
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