SUSPICIONS that a man had been the victim of a mugging were yesterday ruled out by police.

Police sealed off the area around Priory Street, Middlesbrough on Wednesday night after a young man was found lying in the area.

Residents raised the alarm fearing the man had been assaulted, but a police spokeswoman said yesterday they were investigating a fight between two Iraqi refugees who knew each other.

The victim, in his twenties, was not seriously injured and suffered cuts and bruises.