TWO men have been arrested in connection with an assault that left a man in hospital with serious head injuries.

The victim, who is in his 30s, was injured in an alleyway between Hargreave Terrace and Park Place, off Victoria Road, in Darlington, at about 11pm on Thursday, April 23.

Police said two men, aged 35 and 49, had been arrested on suspicion of a section 18 grievous bodily harm offence.

Both men, who are from the Darlington area, have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

A Durham Police spokeswoman said the arrests were made on May 1 and 2, but officers only released the information on Wednesday (May 6) afternoon.

The victim remains in the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where he is understood to be making steady progress, said the force spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, officers have issued a refreshed appeal for information about the incident.

The alleyway, which links Darlington railway station and the nearby Royal Mail sorting office, was cordoned off for several hours after the incident was reported.

Inspector Dawson, of Darlington safer neighbourhood team, said officers are still keen to speak to people who were in the area of the Wing-On Chinese takeaway and Co-op pharmacy between the hours of 8pm and 11pm on April 23.

On the morning after the incident, when the cordon was in place, nearby residents said they had not heard or seen anything amiss the previous night.

Residents of a flat in Hargreaves Terrace, which is behind the cordon, said they went to bed as normal and woke up the following day to find police tape outside their front door.

A woman resident said they had not heard any disturbance overnight.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555-111.