SEVEN teenagers have been questioned by detectives following the death of a Horwich father-of-two on Friday night.

Kenneth Mills, 50, intervened when trouble erupted among a group of young people outside the Nightbar Pizza Kebab Grill in Lee Lane in Horwich town centre.

Mr Mills, who ran painting and decorating businesses in Bolton and Southport, had called at the late-night takeaway to see the owner about business. While he was in the shop, Mr Mills - known to friends as John - of Silverwell Street, Horwich, heard a group of teenagers causing trouble outside, and intervened.

During the fracas he sustained "slight" head injuries but managed to drive the short distance to his home, before collapsing. He was rushed to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police chiefs have confirmed they are not treating Mr Mills' death as a murder inquiry but on Saturday four teenagers, including one girl, were arrested in connection with his death.

The four youngsters aged between 14 and 16, who all live locally, were interviewed at Horwich and Bolton Central police stations. Last night detectives confirmed that two had been released without charge while two other teenagers had been bailed to return to Astley Bridge police station at a later date.

And yesterday morning officers swooped on the homes of a further three teenage boys, aged 15 and 16, who were arrested and taken to Astley Bridge police station.

One has since been released without charge, a second has been bailed and the third teenager was still being questioned.

Detective Chief Inspector John Tyrer, who is leading the inquiry, said: "Although this is not a murder inquiry we are treating it as a very serious incident.

"We really do want any juveniles who were in the area to come forward to tell us exactly what happened." A post-mortem was carried out on Saturday, but police working on the case have not yet released the details of what caused Mr Mills' death.

Part of Lee Lane was cordoned off on Saturday, while officers searched the scene for clues.

Mr Mills' car was also taken away for examination.

Mr Mills was married to Kathleen, who runs the Andrew Leach sports and school outfitters in Horwich. They have a son Daniel, 22, and a daughter Rachel, 21.

The family had lived in their stone cottage in Silverwell Street for more than 23 years. Today the family were still too upset to talk about the tragedy.

A close friend, next door neighbour Ellen Holland, aged 80, said Mr Mills was a "lovely man".

She said: "He would do anything for anyone. He was a good man who would get involved and he wouldn't look the other way if someone was in trouble.

"He's been a good friend to me since my husband died."

She said his family were devastated.

A local businessman, who did not want to be named, said that there was trouble every weekend caused by drunken youths hanging around the kebab shop.

Only last month Home Secretary Jack Straw urged members of the public to take a personal stand against low-level crime.

He said that turning a blind eye to youngsters causing trouble was to ignore a shared duty to ensure that they grew up to be responsible members of society.

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