DETECTIVES were today quizzing two local youths after a Clayton-le-Moors man was found unconscious in an alleyway and rushed to hospital with a blood clot on his brain.

Martin Mayor, 47, of Arthur Street, was discovered on Saturday at 1am lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of Mercer Street, off Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors.

Passers-by who found Mr Mayor alerted police and helped him to his house, where police later found him unconscious.

He was taken to Blackburn Infirmary, but his condition deteriorated.

He was then transferred to Royal Preston Hospital for an operation to remove a blood clot from the brain.

He was today described as being in a critical but stable condition.

After the incident, his house was sealed-off and police began a forensic science examination of the property on Saturday.

Detectives today said they had tried to interview the victim but he remained too ill to speak.

The two youths arrested in connection with the incident are aged 14 and 17 and were in custody at Blackburn's Greenbank station.

Originally it was not known if Mr Mayor had suffered a fall or become victim to a street attack.

Police said the arrests were made after information received pointed to an assault.

Yesterday, the front door of Mr Mayor's house was boarded up.

There were no police officers present and cordons had been removed from surrounding streets and the Oddefellows Arms pub. The area was quiet.

Two neighbours said they knew little about Mr Mayor, other than what was reported about his injuries.

Mr Mayor's nephew, Harry Mayor, of Stanley Street, Oswaldtwistle, said he had no idea what might have happened to his uncle, who he last saw a few years ago.

Police believe Mr Mayor had been drinking in the Lamb pub, in Whalley Road.

It was closed yesterday and a sign stated it would remain closed until Wednesday. Its telephone line was out of order.