A murder investigation has been launched after a 20-year-old man died today following a serious assault at Cobham Services.

Police were called to the petrol station at 3.15pm on Monday, June 26, to reports of a fight between two groups of people, who they believe knew each other.

Police believe the man was assaulted by two men and received substantial head injuries.

He was taken by air ambulance to St George’s Hospital in Tooting.

A white van, in which two men left the scene, was the subject of an earlier appeal, and it was found this morning abandoned in Chessington.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Jo Hayes said: “This was a horrifying attack at a busy petrol station on the M25, and I am sure that there are people who saw what happened but have not yet spoken to my officers.

“This is now a murder investigation, and we are pursuing all avenues of enquiry to bring those responsible to justice.

“I would like to speak to everyone who refuelled at the petrol station, or visited the shop, between 3pm and 3.30pm on Monday, June 26.

“In particular there is a man shown in the store on CCTV wearing military or camouflage clothing who could have very valuable information for the investigation. If this person is you, please come forward.

“There are reports of people filming on mobile phones during the altercation, and immediately afterwards, and it is imperative that we get hold of their footage. There were vehicles on the forecourt during the fight, and I want to speak to those drivers, and view any dashcam footage they may have.

“Finally, although we have recovered the van, we still need to piece together its movements. The van is described as a white Peugeot Partner Van, registration NX63 VLP, with a roof rack and ladder strapped to the roof. If you saw the van between 3.30pm on Monday and 10am today, or have information about the driver and their whereabouts, please contact us as a matter of urgency.”