THE death of a homeless man in Ilford is being treated as a murder investigation.

Detectives are still appealing for witnesses and information following attacks which left one man dead and two other men seriously injured.

At around 1am on Thursday, September 9, police were called to reports of an injured man in Ilford High Road.

The 58-year-old was taken by ambulance to an east London hospital suffering serious head injuries and police say it appears he was assaulted nearby, close to Buckingham Road Cemetery.

At around 3.30pm the same day, a member of the public called police to an injured man near to the cemetery.

The 42-year-old was also taken to hospital with serious head injuries.

Following a search of the area, officers discovered the body of a third man near the cemetery at around 8pm.

The man, believed to be 31, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are still awaiting formal identification and confirmation that next of kin have been informed.

A post-mortem examination on Saturday gave cause of death as blunt trauma to the head and neck.

The other two men are in a serious but stable condition.

Anyone with information should call the Incident Room on 020 8345 3985 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A 43-year-old man was arrested at about 7pm on Friday, September 10, in connection with the investigation.

He remains in custody at an east London police station.