Two Manchester women have been arrested in connection with the death of a 50-year-old-man who collapsed and died last week outside his Blackpool home after a night out.
The women, aged 50 and 25, remain in police custody for perverting the court of justice after Stephen Butts collapsed outside his home on Park Lane in Preesall after returning with his partner and family at around 6am on Sunday August 18.
It is thought that Stephen had made his way to the town centre at around 12.40am spending several hours there visiting bars Hush and Yates.
He was then picked up by a private hire taxi from Hush between 3.30am and 5am but was rushed to Blackpool Victoria hospital after collapsing where he died. Detectives have now launched a murder investigation after it was thought he may have been assaulted.
Detective Superintendent Andy Murphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The circumstances leading to Mr Butt’s death are still very unclear but we are of the mind at this stage that his death is suspicious and we are determined to establish exactly what happened.
“Not only am I looking to speak to anyone who was out in the town centre around those times that might have information, I am also keen to trace a private hire taxi driver who took the group back to the address in Preesall from Blackpool.
“We are making a number of enquiries in both the Lancashire and Greater Manchester areas to try and trace people we believe may have information that could help so I would appeal to people in both counties to contact us if they have any information at all.”
Anyone with information is asked contact Police on 101 quoting log number LC-20130822-1126.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
