A HEARTBROKEN mother's tearful appeal for information as to how her murdered son met his death has fallen on deaf ears.

Connie Cutts, 72, braved cameras and media questions at a Press conference this week to urge people who were in Benson's Bar, Middlesbrough, the night her son, David, died to contact Cleveland Police.

Acting Detective Inspector Paul Richardson, who is leading the murder hunt hoped potential witnesses would be as moved by the pensioner's heartfelt plea as much as he and journalists present at Thursday's Press conference were.

But the detective was yesterday forced to admit his disappointment that her plea had not generated the calls police hoped for.

He said: "It took a lot of courage for Mrs Cutts to face the media, speak from the heart and urge people at that club to contact the incident room.

"Anyone who saw or heard her appeal must have been well aware of the trauma and heartache this family are going through.

"Sadly very few of those revellers - and we know there were well over 100 people in Benson's Bar that night - have made contact with us."

"I would ask them to think very carefully about how they would feel if it was one of their family members. Would they like to be in the situation of the Cutts family?"

Father-of-one Mr Cutts, 49, from the Marton Manor area of Middlesbrough, died from severe head injuries received at Benson's Bar.

Although he fell, or was pushed down stairs at the two-storey establishment, a post- mortem examination and forensic evidence have shown that he suffered significant injuries that were not consistent with a fall. He was admitted to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital shortly after 1am on Sunday and his life machine was later switched off.

Acting Det Insp Richardson urged people to contact the incident room on (01642) 301333.