Homeless man beaten to death

The victim was discovered in a shelter on the seafront

Police in South Tyneside are searching for the killer of a homeless man found beaten to death on New Year's Day.

The victim, who has not been identified, was discovered in a seafront shelter in South Shields at 0400 GMT on Tuesday.

The man, believed to be aged between 40 and 50, was found dead next to his sleeping bag by a man returning home from New Year's celebrations.

Detective Superintendent Ian Sharp from Northumbria Police said the man had been subjected to a "callous beating".

'Callous beating'

He said: "It's very sad that anyone should be homeless but it is especially so on a bitter cold New Year's Eve that someone should be sleeping there while everyone else is celebrating.

"It is particularly sickening that a new year celebration has turned into a callous beating and death of a man in such tragic circumstances."

Mr Sharp said the homeless man died at the scene as a result of his injuries and not the cold weather conditions.

A team of 40 detectives are working on the case and have appealed for anyone in the area that night or who may know the man to come forward.

The victim is described as heavily built, with collar-length ginger hair and thick dark brown eyebrows.

His appearance and clothes were clean and he had blue eyes.