A MURDER inquiry has been launched after a teenager who was attacked on a night out in a seaside town died in hospital.

Elliot Furniss

A MURDER inquiry was launched last night after a teenager who was attacked during a night out in a seaside town died in hospital.

Dominic Barritt, 18, suffered fatal head injuries in a street attack in Walton-on-the-Naze in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The teenager, from nearby Clacton, was initially taken to Colchester General Hospital after the attack but later transferred to Queen's Hospital in Romford, which specialises in head injuries.

He lost his fight for life yesterday afternoon with his close family by his hospital bedside.

A police spokesman said officers investigating the incident had been encouraged by the number of witnesses who had already come forward after media appeals for information.

Detectives are now continuing to scour CCTV footage from the seaside resort and are looking to identify the man's assailant.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent John Quinton said: “Dominic's death has led us to open this murder inquiry and as a result people will see how serious this matter is.

“We're glad people are now contacting us as we look to identify who the culprit is.

“We know that there were many people on the High Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“People are slowly beginning to contact us which will raise the hopes of this man's mother, who is looking to us to arrest her son's attacker.

“There are still many people who are seen on the CCTV milling around on the High Street after a night out who have yet to come forward.

“They know who they are - we know they can help us.”

Police completed their house-to-house enquiries yesterday and took statements from retailers along the High Street in an effort to shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the assault.

The attack happened outside The Food and Drink Store on Walton High Street at shortly after 2am.

A section of the road was closed until late on Saturday evening while officers examined the scene and gathered evidence.

Anyone with information about the incident that led to Mr Barrett's death is urged to contact detectives at Clacton Police Station on 0300 3334444.