A TEENAGER was last night charged with the murder of a man whose bloodstained body was found in an alleyway behind a town-centre pub.

The 17-year-old, from Darlington, was arrested on Thursday evening on suspicion of murder.

He was charged last night and is due to appear before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe this morning.

Police said last night they had identified the victim, but were not releasing his details until close relatives had been informed.

Officers told The Northern Echo that the victim was probably beaten with fists and feet in a vicious assault outside the Nag's Head pub, Darlington, on Thursday evening.

Detectives said that the dead man, in his early 40s, had severe facial injuries.

They said that a small fire had been lit near the body, which had spread to some of his clothing.

However, police said last night that they thought he had not been deliberately set alight.

A post-mortem examination yesterday by Home Office Pathologist Dr James Sunter showed no extensive burns, and revealed the cause of death as being from serious blows to the head.

"It was a really serious, vicious, violent assault that this person received," said Detective Superintendent Harry Stephenson, who is leading the investigation.

Police said that a female member of staff, who had gone outside for a break at about 7.30pm, stumbled across the victim in the dark lane next to the pub, which runs from Tubwell Row to the Boot and Shoe pub, near the Market Square.

Meanwhile, Nag's Head landlord Sean Cosgrave had seen a fire from a window above the pub, and took a bucket of water outside to extinguish it, thinking it was a pile of logs.

Emergency services arrived on the scene minutes later but found the victim already dead.

Police revealed that one witness, who saw part of the assault as he walked along Tubwell Row, had already come forward with information.

Yesterday, part of the busy street was cordoned off as forensic investigators - shielded by a screen - carried out their inch-by-inch search of the alley for evidence.

Investigations continued throughout the day and the area is expected to be cordoned off for several days while the search for evidence continues.

Floral tributes were left at the scene last night.

Det Supt Stephenson said some details of the attack were not clear, and appealed for help from the public.

"This was a brutal attack, and although we are keeping an open mind as to what weapon may have been used, it was most probably hands and fists and feet," he said.

"Although there was a fire at the scene, the body was not set on fire.

"We are looking into that aspect in further detail, and the scene will be cordoned off for some time to come, so we can be sure we have collected absolutely every scrap of evidence."

Police arrested the 17-year-old in Darlington shortly after the incident, but Det Supt Stephenson said he could not be certain if there was more than one assailant.

He added that detectives were keeping an open mind in relation to looking for people in connection with the attack.

He said: "I would appeal to anyone who was in the area, particularly between 7pm and 8pm, to get in touch."

Shoppers in Tubwell Row yesterday spoke of their horror at the attack.

One woman, who works nearby, said: "The first I knew was when I came to work this morning and saw the place crawling with police

"I was horrified when I heard what had happened in that alley - I often cut through there myself if I'm in a hurry. It wasn't even late, sometimes I don't finish work until 7.30pm. It's terrible, terrifying even."

Anyone with information is asked to call Darlington police on 0845 60 60 365 extension 6712120, or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.