A SPANISH holiday ended in tragedy when a 20-year-old man from Newton-le-Willows was attacked and fatally wounded just four hours after arriving in Barcelona on Sunday, July 23.

Gareth Mather, who was on holiday with his friend, Neil Danner (22) from Wigan, was stabbed through the temple at about 6am on the Moll de La Fusta jetty at the end of Las Ramblas,close to a popular place for late night revellers.

He fell into a coma and was taken to hospital where he was placed on a life-support machine. Gareth lost his fight for life on Wednesday, July 26, when the machine that had been keeping him alive was switched off. Gareth's father, step-mother and aunt flew from England on the day of the attack and went immediately to his bedside and after his mother was contacted she flew out on July 25. The family stayed at Gareth's bedside until the decision was taken to turn off the machine.

Neil Danner was also taken to hospital after the attack, but he returned home on Sunday, July 23.

With the backing of the local police the Brigada de Homicidos, the homicide wing of the Spanish police, have launched a murder inquiry and have already interviewed several witnesses.

It is believed that there were three attackers, but their nationality is not known. The police have recovered the murder weapon, a knife.

The attack wasn't reported to the press until Friday, July 28, and it is possible that the assailants were unaware someone had died.

"The incident is deeply regrettable," said Mr Ian Bradley of the British Consulate in Barcelona. "Attacks of this nature are not at all typical of the city which is normally a very safe place to be."