A young father could have been stabbed to death by a gang in Vange, murder squad detectives revealed today.

Information from calls to Crimestoppers and south Essex police stations has led officers to believe more than one person was involved in the incident outside the Barge pub, in Clay Hill Road.

Daniel Davis, 24, the son of a Southend man, lost his fight for life ten hours after being stabbed in the right buttock on Saturday evening.

He struggled bleeding from the pub car park to a friend's house 500 yards away in Oldwyk, before dying at Basildon Hospital.

Detectives piecing together the last events of Mr Davis' life said today early inquiries suggest more than one person was involved. A man in his 30s, from Fryerns, has been helping police with inquiries since his arrest in Pitsea on Monday morning.

Police successfully applied for an extension to his time in custody to question him further.

Detectives are still searching for the murder weapon - an 8cm bladed knife.

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