DETECTIVES have launched a murder investigation after a man was stabbed during a disturbance outside a public house in Rochester.

Police and an ambulance crew were called to The Vineyard pub in the city's Maidstone Road at about 7.15pm on New Year's Eve. The 29-year-old victim, Marco Schirolli, of Copperfield Road, Rochester, was taken to Gillingham's Medway Maritime Hospital where he later died.

Police would like to speak to three men who were seen having a minor argument with Mr Schirolli earlier in the evening. One is between 30 to 40 years old, white, slim, about 6ft tall and wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and a fleece underneath the jacket.

The second man was white, heavily built, in his 30s, and wore a black waist length leather jacket, light blue shirt and black trousers. The third man was white, is aged about 30, 5ft 7ins tall, and stocky. He was wearing a black puffa jacket and grey and white Nike trainers.

The police have dubbed the investigation Operation Adept. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 01634 827055, ext 2611