A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of a man beaten in Ilford High Road on Sunday.

The 27-year-old was arrested on Thursday, November 16, and remains in custody.

Police continue to appeal for information and witnesses to the assault which happened at 2.48am and is thought to have involved up to five assailants armed with baseball bats.

The victim was named locally as Sorin Serbu but has been named by police as Sandel Serbu, a 36-year-old Romanian who had recently come to the UK and was living in Barking.

Det Ch Insp Paul Considine of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said: “We know that those responsible for this deadly assault arrived at the location in two cars. The victim was attacked as he got out of a vehicle in which he was a passenger.

“There were a number of people, both in cars and pedestrians, who would have witnessed this attack. I need these people to come forward and tell me what they saw.

“I would also like to appeal to anyone who may have captured footage of the scene or the aftermath to contact police. Your footage may hold vital evidence.”

Please send any video via the website https://ukpoliceimageappeal.com/upload/choose

Police were called by the London Ambulance Service to reports of a fight and an injured man at the High Road junction with Connaught Road, Ilford.

They found Mr Serbu suffering from critical injuries. He was taken by ambulance to an east London hospital, where he died at 4.35am.

A post-mortem examination held at East Ham Mortuary on Thursday, November 16, gave cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.

Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information that may assist the investigation should call the Homicide and Major Crime Command on 020 8345 3734, send a message via Twitter @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.