THE family of a man who died after allegedly being stabbed with a broken bottle in Witham have paid tribute to him.Piers Westmore, 31, died in Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford after the incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

By Annie Davidson

THE family of a man who died after allegedly being stabbed with a broken bottle in Witham have paid tribute to him.

Piers Westmore, 31, died in Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford after the incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

His grieving parents, Bernard and Joan, who live in Witham and his sister Joanna, said Mr Westmore was a devoted family man and a great lover of sport.

He had lived in Witham since the age of five, had two daughters aged ten and 11 and a 15-year-old stepson.

Mr Westmore, of Osbert Road, Witham, was a machine assistant at The Finishing Company, a publishing distribution centre, in Witham.

A post mortem examination was due to be carried out last night.

Mr Westmore's wife, Michelle, was with him and a group of friends when the incident took place.

They were making their way home from a party and were walking along Guithavon Street, Witham, when Mr Westmore was allegedly accosted by a man opposite the Catholic Holy Family and All Saint's Church.

He suffered serious chest and abdominal injuries and died later in hospital.

Police launched a murder inquiry and specialist dog units and the force helicopter were bought to the area as searches were carried out. A broken bottle was recovered from the scene.

On Sunday afternoon, a 24-year-old man from Witham voluntarily attended the town's police station and was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Detectives were last night still questioning him.