POLICE investigating the murder of a teenager today said they were looking for blood-stained clothing which may hold the key to solving the case.

And Det Supt Ian Jones, who is leading the inquiry into Eamonn McDonagh's death, appealed directly to members of the public who may have seen any such items around the Moorings pub, off Bolton Road, Blackburn.

Police believe the person who carried out the attack may have changed clothes after assaulting traveller Eamonn, 17, and left the blood-stained items nearby.

Detectives also revealed that they had narrowed down the possible scene of an argument with four youths in the hours before his death to either Infirmary Street or Abraham Street, in Blackburn.

A 24 year-old man, who was arrested on Wednesday, has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Det Supt Jones said today: "The forensic work continues and we are stepping up our house-to-house inquiries in the hope we can find out more about the events leading up to Eamonn's death.

"We still need to talk to the four youths who were in an altercation."

Eamonn is believed to have gone to Accrington and Blackburn on a night out with a friend on Tuesday before returning to his caravan.

They went out again and got into an argument with four youths. They ran off and were separated.

Eamonn's friend alerted his parents and brother who went out to look for him.

They found Eamonn lying in a pool of blood beside a wall off Lower Hollin Bank Street, 25 yards from the caravan where he lived, at 6.15am on Wednesday.

He was taken to nearby Blackburn Royal Infirmary but later died. A post mortem confirmed he had died of serious head injuries.

Anyone with information can call Blackburn police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.