The devastated family of a young man murdered outside a pub today spoke of their grief.

And they said they would never forgive the man who killed him.

Karl Morris, 23, suffered a fractured skull in a fight outside the Queen's Arms pub in Great Cornard, Suffolk, at 11.30pm on Good Friday. He died in hospital the next day.

Police said up to six people were involved in the fight and they urgently want to trace a 28-year-old Suffolk man, who they have not named.

Today his sister Kerry, 24, appealed from her home in Lordswood Road, on Colchester's Army estate, for anyone who knows the killer to contact the police.

Kerry, who has a three-year-old son Levi, is on heavy medication to numb the pain of grief. She said: "I was so close to Karl. As close as you can get. He was a quiet boy. He would help anybody and had a heart of gold."

Grandparents Raymon and Irma Morris, of Viscount Drive, High Woods, Colchester, comforted her as she spoke.

Karl was from a large but close family and they are all shellshocked by his death. Raymon said: "He was popular and friendly. When he greeted you he would cuddle you, he was so affectionate."

And Irma added: "We cannot put it to rest and start grieving properly until we find his killer. At the moment it all seems a nightmare. If anyone knows anything please come forward."

Kerry said: "I feel so angry and hurt. I won't be able to forgive the person who did this. Why did he do it. Karl hardly went out, he stayed at home and played computer games. He hated violence.

"It seems like a dream, that he is going to walk through the door and hug me."

Outside her house stands Karl's pride and joy, his Ford Escort cabriolet,which Kerry will now do up just the way he wanted. He was a big fan of Braintree-based band Prodigy and the family have already agreed one of their tracks will be played at the funeral.

Karl lived with his mum Frances in Abbas Walk, Great Cornard, but his parents were separated and he had many close relatives in north Essex.

His father Peter Morris, 49, of Hilltop Rise, Weeley, said: "He was always there for us and we were always there for him."

Mr Morris used to live in Ipswich Road, Colchester, and runs a hairdressers in Old Road, Frinton. He was in Ireland for a wedding - and to see his brother for the first time in 25 years - when he was tracked down and told of his son's death by telephone.

"We had to drive in the camper to Dublin and get the fast ferry and got to the hospital at about 7pm. But at 10.10pm they cut the machines.

"He was caring, loving - a credit to us. He would always give us a kiss in front of his friends and when his friends asked why, he would say 'Because I love them'."

A 22-year-old man from Bures has been charged with affray in connection with the incident. The murder inquiry is continuing.

Anyone with information should contact Suffolk Police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Relatives have been devasted by Karl's death

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.