A MAN has died after a fight on a barge on the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Police were called to the canal behind Dutton Hall Farm on Northwich Road, the A533, at around 8.50am today and found a man suffering serious head injuries. He died shortly after.

A 36-year-old man from Birkenhead has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: "At just after 8.50am today Cheshire Police attended a report of an incident that had taken place onboard a barge on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Dutton, between Northwich and Runcorn.

“Two men aboard the vessel had been involved in an altercation that resulted in one of the men receiving a serious head injury. Paramedics were called and the man died a short time later.”

Forensic officers are still combing the scene.

Landowner Steven Roberts, described the scene to the Guardian.

He said: “The boat was lying skewiff in the canal and I saw a body bag being carried away. Then a prison van turned up. The officers are still out there now, everything has been cordonned off.”

More to follow