BLOOD and belongings were left strewn over the road as police launched a murder inquiry.

Police were called after the early morning disturbance on Brighton seafront involving a hit and run.

Residents, revellers and hotel guests were left shocked as the scene unfolded outside their windows in Marine Parade at 5.30am on December 1, 2019.

Iftekhar Khondaker drove his father's BMW into a group of men with their backs turned to him.

He hit Suel Delgado, 20, and his friends Azaan Khan and Raja Zakir Khan, both 23.

Mr Delgado, a popular footballer from Crawley, died the next day, while the other two suffered life-changing injuries.

A massive police cordon was set up, and the A259 was closed for three days while police investigated, with roads in the surrounding area also closed.

At first there was speculation about possible motives for the incident, amid fears of a terrorist incident such as at London Bridge in 2017 and Westminster in 2018.

But detectives ruled out terrorism as clues emerged of a fight in the early hours of the morning.

It had started on the seafront above nightclubs in Kings Road, Brighton.

Clashes continued eastward towards the pier as the two groups attacked each other with belts.

Then Iftekhar Khondaker rammed his car into the three men outside The Amsterdam Hotel in Marine Parade.

Kate Lumsdon QC, prosecuting the case at Hove Crown Court said: "They impacted with the bonnet and windscreen of the car, rose into the air and then landed, strewn across the street, as the BMW drove on.

"It continued westbound past the roundabout by the Pier and on to Grand Junction Road. Umar Khan and Amaan Alyas reacted in horror and disbelief.

"Suel Delgado lay on the north pavement, bleeding profusely from the head. Zak Khan lay a short distance from him, he was coming in and out of consciousness.

"Azaan Khan was lying in the road, his trousers were down around his hips and his shoes had come off from the impact of the car. He was also bleeding from the head."