ONE of Salisbury's well-known characters remained on a life-support machine in Salisbury District Hospital this week, following a violent assault in the city.

Eric Rogereau, known to friends as Eric the Chef, suffered kidney failure and collapsed lungs after the attack, which happened last Thursday night at his flat in Bedwin Street.

Mr Rogereau (39), a French national who has lived in Salisbury for eight years, has worked at a number of city pubs, including the Black Horse, in Castle Street.

He is known to keep an open house, with friends regularly dropping in.

Salisbury CID are treating the assault as attempted murder. Twelve detectives are working on the case and inquiries are ongoing to trace all Mr Rogereau's relatives.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Steve Fulcher, who is leading the investigation, said Mr Rogereau had been subjected to "a frenzied attack" and had suffered "life-threatening injuries to his head and body".

Officers believed Mr Rogereau had first been assaulted at 3pm and again later in the evening.

"He suffered a very severe beating," said DCI Fulcher. "It was a sustained attack - punching, kicking and stamping.

"During these assaults, the victim suffered a tear to his renal artery, causing kidney failure, and this caused internal fluid build-up, which caused his lungs to collapse, producing life-threatening consequences."

Mr Rogereau was taken to the accident and emergency unit at Salisbury District Hospital shortly after 11pm and told staff he had been the victim of an assault by a number of people.

By the following afternoon, his condition had deteriorated and he was admitted to the intensive care unit, where he remained in a serious condition as the Journal went to press yesterday.

DCI Fulcher said initial inquiries centred on establishing Mr Rogereau's known associates and tracing all the people who had visited the flat on March 11.

"We believe the assaults were alcohol-fuelled and the ability of the parties involved to raise the alarm was limited," he said.

He added that CCTV pictures had also been viewed as part of the process of building up a picture of what had happened.

He appealed to anyone who had information about the incident and had not yet come forward to call the incident room, on 01722 435301, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.

Two people have been charged with attempted murder and remanded in custody until March 22.