Police investigating Cobham death after huge 'baseball bat brawl'

Residents have been told "a fight got out of hand" in Hamilton Avenue, off the Portsmouth Road.

Shortly after the brawl, a man collapsed and died while talking to police officers in nearby Anyards Road.

A large area of Hamilton Avenue was still taped off this afternoon.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: "Detectives are investigating a large scale fight which took place on a street in Cobham in the early hours of this morning.

"Officers had been called to Hamilton Avenue at around 1.30am following reports that two large groups of people were fighting in the street.

"Witnesses said between 10 and 20 people, some armed with baseball bats, were involved in the altercation.

"Shortly after the incident, a silver van left the scene and was subsequently stopped by police officers in Anyards Road.

"Whilst officers were speaking to the driver, he collapsed."

He said officers and then paramedics administered CPR, but the man, who was aged 50, was pronounced dead at 2.45am.

South East Coast Ambulance was called just before 1.50am to Oakfield Road, Cobham.

A spokesman said: “Police were already on the scene performing CPR on the patient who was described as an elderly man who had suffered a cardiac arrest in the street.

“We sent three ambulances to the scene but sadly despite the police's and our crews’ efforts the gentleman was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have been informed of the incident.

Officers from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team are currently carrying out enquiries to establish if there is a connection between the two incidents. A post mortem examination will take place in due course.

A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of affray and is currently in custody. Enquiries are ongoing.

Do you know what happened? Call the newsdesk on 020 8744 4244 or email dlindsell@london.newsquest.co.uk.