A MURDER investigation was today underway after a leading banker was attacked while trying to break up a fight in Norwich city centre.

A MURDER investigation was today underway after a leading banker was attacked while trying to break up a fight in Norwich city centre.

Frank McGarahan, 45, a millionaire banking executive, intervened in a vicious assault in Dove Street at about 3am on Sunday when he was beaten up and suffered fatal injuries.

The chief operating officer of Barclays Wealth had been spending a quiet evening with family and friends ahead of a family christening and was waiting for a taxi in Guildhall Hill at about 3am on Sunday when he witnessed an attack, police revealed.

Mr McGarahan, from Hertfordshire, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital but was later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where he died from his injuries yesterday afternoon.

It emerged today that a second man, a bouncer at nearby Spearmint Rhino club was also seriously injured as he also tried to stop the brawl, which involved at least 10 people.

Darryl Lawton, 42, heard the commotion while working on the door in the Dove Street club and ran to help. Today he was recovering from a fractured jaw but his boss spoke out on his behalf.

Glenn Alexander, managing director of Norwich Premier Security Services, which employs Mr Lawton said: “It seems there was a group involved, it was very violent and a guy was being attacked.

“The people who have suffered are those who tried to help. Darryl is totally distraught it ended like this.

“One man died trying to save others and my doorman risked his own life to try and save another. He used his own judgement as a good Samaritan to do the right thing and in doing that he got injured in doing that and suffered a fractured jaw. He was very brave and so was the other man.

“Everyone is devastated. The doormen wished they could have done more but by the time the noise from the dispute reached the club it was too late. We are all gutted.”