A BODY was found covered in blood and set alight behind a North-East pub last night.

Detectives swooped on Tubwell Row, in Darlington, after the grisly discovery was made in an alley behind the Nag's Head.

Forensic teams and a police sniffer dog scoured the area behind the row, including the grounds of nearby St Cuthbert's Church.

The landlord of the Nag's Head told The Northern Echo he found the body at about 7.30pm.

"I saw a fire from my flat window and I came down with a bucket of water to put it out.

"There was a dead body on fire, parts of it on fire. The body was covered in blood. I got my bar staff to phone the ambulance.

"They came first and then the police. I don't know how I feel about it - it's not even entered my head. I'm still in a bit of shock. I couldn't tell you really if it was a man or woman, but I feel as though it would have been a man."

He said the alley, which runs from the old museum on Tubwell Row to the Boot and Shoe pub, was used as a hang-out by drunks.

He added: "I want to stress this is nothing to do with the pub. I just happened to be the person who found it."

Two women attending a tai chi class in St Cuthbert's Church Hall, next to the alley, said they heard nothing.

One said: "We went in about seven and came out about twenty past nine and saw the police. There were two men sat on the wall and a man came across and sat with them before I went in."

The other added: "There was an elderly man sat outside. I hope it's not him."

Inspector Colin Nixon, in Durham Police's control room, confirmed a body was found.

He said: "There is a body there, and there are suspicious circumstances."

l In a separate incident, a man was last night fighting for his life after he was viciously attacked as he slept.

The 42-year-old victim is in a critical condition after suffering severe head injuries when attacked by an intruder with what is thought to be a blunt instrument. The victim was in intensive care last night at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

The assault took place in the early hours yesterday in a first-floor bedroom of a house in Greenbank Road, Darlington.

Both the victim, who is not being named, and his girlfriend were asleep when the attacker struck. Her son and daughter were also sleeping in the house. No one else was hurt.

The girlfriend was woken by the assault at 5am and immediately called the emergency services. It is not thought the attacker is known to the victim or his partner.

The attacker had two terrier dogs with him. One was white with brown spots, and the other was a brown Yorkshire terrier cross.

The intruder fled down Greenbank Road and ran towards the Denes area of the town.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on (0845) 60 60 365, or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555 111.