Police are hoping five good Samaritans will come forward and help them find out what happened to a man found unconscious on a Mortlake Road.

David South, 37, is recovering in hospital as police investigate what happened to him on the night of Sunday, January 11.

The civil servant from Trehern Road, East Sheen, had earlier gone for a drink in The Ship pub nearby before moving on to The Jolly Gardeners in Lower Richmond Road at 10pm.

Just before 10.45pm he left the pub, apparently in good health, but minutes later he was found a few yards away on the pavement. He had a wound to the head and had inhaled his own vomit, causing him to stop breathing for several minutes.

A group of five people found him and called an ambulance. But when a medical crew turned up, the group left without giving their names.

Detective Constable Dennis Griffiths said: "It's a bit of a mystery. We don't know if he was beaten up or collapsed or hit by a car. Inhaling his own vomit caused more problems than the head injury because when you stop breathing oxygen can't get to the brain. It is unlikely he was hit by a car as he does not appear to have marks on the rest of his body and was not dishevelled."

Landlord of The Jolly Gardeners James Chapman remembered Mr South coming in on Sunday. He said: "I know him as Dave. He's a quiet sort of chap who keeps himself to himself. On Sunday there were not many people in the pub and we were chatting in general and laughing and joking. There were no arguments, he wasn't that type of guy. He'd had a few to drink but he was not falling all over the place. He walked out and said goodbye. We're all so shocked at the news."

Mr South, who lives with his mother in Trehern Road, was rushed to Charing Cross Hospital and transferred to King's College where his condition is said to be stable. His mother Sylvia South, said: "We don't know what happened to Dave. He is a loner although he'll talk to people and likes to go out walking. Some people seem to think he was drunk but he wouldn't have drunk that much. I hope someone somewhere has the answer."

If you can help call Detective Constable Griffiths on 0181 247 7031.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.