THE brother of Accrington Stanley captain Peter Cavanagh has died after he was viciously attacked in Liverpool city centre.

Anthony Cavanagh, 22, was on shore leave from the Royal Navy, enjoying a night out, when he accidentally bumped into a drinker outside a bar.

He put his hands up to apologise but was felled by a single blow which knocked him uncon-scious.

Anthony had been in intensive care in a Liverpool hospital since the incident, which happened in the early hours of Saturday, September 24.

Peter, 23, and his family, who are based in Merseyside, have kept a bedside vigil throughout the last 12 days, praying that his condition would improve.

Last weekend Anthony developed a chest infection and yesterday afternoon, a day after his 22nd birthday, he lost his battle for life.

His devastated mother Patricia Cavanagh said she was struggling to come to terms with what had happened to her son.

She said: "Nothing would have prepared me for this. Nothing at all.

"I'm absolutely bewildered.

"It's very hard, very hard to understand why this has happened."

DCI Paul Richardson from Merseyside police said: "It has been described by witnesses as a devastating punch.

"Anthony was unconscious from the moment he was struck."

"Anthony was out to enjoy himself with friends and was due to return to his ship on the Monday.

"He didn't go out looking for trouble and his family are devastated at the loss of their son and brother."

Police are reviewing CCTV footage in a bid to identify the man responsible for the attack.

Peter, who plays right back for Stanley, missed the team's away match at Dagenham after the incident and dedicated last week's goal against Morecambe to his brother.

A spokesman for Accrington Stanley said: "Our deepest sympathies are with Peter and his family and we will give him every assistance we can at this difficult time."