Four held over Leeds gang killing of man, 57

The 57-year-old, who has not yet been named, died from head injuries after being attacked by a gang who smashed their way into a single-storey chalet-style property on Middleton Lane, in Thorpe, near Rothwell, on Saturday evening.

Yesterday detectives from West Yorkshire Police’s homicide and major enquiry team confirmed they had arrested a 50-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman and two 16-year-old boys in the Doncaster and Barnsley areas on suspicion of murder.

It is not known if the victim lived in the small home where the attack happened or was there as a visitor or if anyone else was injured.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said the owner was “quite a secretive chap”.

He added: “The gates are always closed. But he’s very amiable and he would chat to you if he saw you.

“It’s a complete shock. It’s a lovely, quiet area and it only really hit us what had happened the day after when we realised the seriousness of it.”

Another added: “He wasn’t a bad guy. We have heard a couple of stories about some sort of feud, but it’s absolutely shocking when you think that people can go to that level of premeditated violence.”

The victim was initially taken to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary. He died in the early hours of yesterday.

Yesterday, as a single police officer continued to guard the entrance to the home where the attack happened, evidence of the violence that preceded it was clearly visible.

Imposing wooden gates hung from their hinges at the foot of the driveway, which was covered in skid marks.

Most of the windows at the front of the property were smashed, a small retaining wall was damaged and a Vauxhall estate car was left perched over a wall.