Man beaten to death 'with spades'

A murder investigation was launched today after a man was beaten to death in Co Down.

Police said a young man was attacked in the early hours at the rear of a house at Banbridge.

A group of three or four men and two women are believed to have carried out the attack, and may have used spades.

Police appealing for information said one of the women possibly had a Scottish accent.

The man died at the scene.

Meanwhile a man was arrested in west Belfast following a hammer attack which left another man critically ill.

He was detained after the attack at a house in Broadway Parade at around 4am.

The injured man was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital suffering from severe head injuries.

Police appealed for anyone with information or who witnessed the attack to contact them.