A MURDER victim's grieving mother has spoken of her heartbreak at agreeing to switch off her son's life support machine.

Father-of-one David Cutts, 49, was admitted to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital in a coma after he fell, or was pushed, down stairs at the two-storey Benson's Bar, in the town's Linthorpe Road.

And detectives revealed yesterday that he had sustained "significant injuries prior to his fall that were not consistent with a fall."

Last night, his mother, Connie, 72, said: "When we were around the bed, to see him on the life support machine, I will never ever forget it. He did not deserve it."

Mrs Cutts said Boro fan Mr Cutts was a loving and dutiful son, who was fond of his mother's Yorkshire pudding dinners and was generous when it came to family birthdays and at Christmas.

Mrs Cutts, who was at the Press conference with her husband Dennis, 73, and her son's wife, Lorraine, 46, said she was speaking out for her son. She said: "He was taken away from us. I am here to stick up for him. We will never ever see him again.

"He came from such a loving family. We are all devastated by this. I would like to appeal to anyone who was in Benson's nightclub last Saturday to come forward if they have any information.

"It might help the police, who have been brilliant," said Mrs Cutts, who broke down in tears.

Mrs Cutts said the family did not know David visited Benson's Bar.

She said: "Dennis and I did not know anything about this until weeks ago. We knew nothing about this girlfriend or anything. We were so humiliated by it.''

Acting Detective Inspector Paul Richardson refused to elaborate on Mrs Cutts' reference to a girlfriend or if the woman had been in the bar at the time.

He asked anyone who can help is asked to ring detectives on (01642) 301333.

* A 21-year-old man and a 42-year-old local woman, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.