Murdered shopkeeper was hit at least nine times

Gurmail Singh, 63, suffered a head injury when he was attacked with a blunt instrument - possibly a hammer - during the raid on his convenience store in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on Saturday night.

The father-of-three was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary but died in the early hours of Sunday.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed the victim was struck at least nine times in the attack.

Mr Singh was found lying on the floor at the back of the shop. He was unconscious and had very serious head injuries.

Police have launched a murder inquiry and appealed for help in finding four hooded youths who fled the scene.

A witness described two young men rifling through cigarettes and bottles in the store.

The witness pulled the door shut to keep them in and was showered with glass as the pair attacked the door for a number of minutes with a hammer and a bottle in a desperate attempt to get out.

A group of people standing outside a nearby pub tackled two of the youths who ran from the back of Mr Singh's shop in the Cowcliffe area of Huddersfield.

One man rugby-tackled one suspect and another man tripped a second.

However, all four suspects managed to get away.

It emerged that the victim was involved in a similar incident on Thursday when two young men tried to snatch cigarettes and Mr Singh tried unsuccessfully to stop the pair leaving.

Mr Singh was a well-loved member of the local community who was praised for his work ethic, opening his store from 6am to 9pm seven days a week.

Detective Superintendent David Pervin said no-one had anything but praise for the popular shopkeeper.

Speaking yesterday, the officer said: "It is an absolute tragedy.

"Mr Singh worked extremely hard. He was well-liked by everyone.

"He's described as extremely jolly, would do absolutely anything for anyone. There was no need for this to happen, there really wasn't.

"I don't know who committed this offence at this time but there was absolutely, absolutely no need for them to do what they did.

"The support and the comments that have come from this community in these last two days, everybody is saying exactly the same - what a wonderful, wonderful man this was and what an absolute tragedy and shame this is."

Mr Singh was pronounced dead in hospital at about 3.30am on Sunday.

All four suspects - the two who left and those who were trapped in the shop - are described as in their late teens or early 20s. They were wearing black hooded tops and black or dark trousers.

It is not clear what their ethnic background is.

An intensive forensic examination is under way, including tests on items the suspects dropped.

Mr Singh came to the UK in 1963 and he leaves a wife, two adult sons and a daughter. He celebrated his 63rd birthday on Friday.

Mehboob Khan, leader of Kirklees Council, who knew the shopkeeper, said: "He was extremely hard-working and he would not hurt a fly. He was a family-orientated man and very polite.

"He was very popular in the area, particularly with his elderly customers.

"I remember very recently he went out in the snow to deliver essential groceries to them.

"He was always putting other people first and thinking of his family. He was a real pillar of the community."