The man gunned down at a New Year’s Eve party in Thornton Heath has been named locally as Darren Deslandes.

Mr Deslandes, 34, was shot by a gunman at the Newton Arms pub in Queens Road, Croydon, at about 5am during a private party.

Another man aged 26 was also shot by the gunman, a black man who fled in a dark coloured 4 x 4 vehicle.

They were both taken to hospital but Mr Deslandes died shortly after arriving. The younger man is said by police to be in a critical but stable condition.

Mr Deslandes lived at the pub and is believed to have been helping out his landlord father at the pub that evening.

It is understood the shooting happened after bar staff threw out some troublemakers.

A post-mortem will be held today at Croydon mortuary.

One local resident called Alison said: “We are really shocked. You get a lot of kids hanging around on the corner late at night but to have a shooting around here is unbelievable."

The road which was cordoned off until late in the afternoon on New Years Day is now open to traffic.

The pub remains closed and forensics teams are searching the premises and the surrounding area.

The shooting happened a few streets away from the murder of Wesley Blake, a 27 year-old expectant father who was gunned down in St Saviour’s Road in May.

Operation Trident under DCI Gordon Allison is dealing with the incident and no arrests have been made.

A police spokesman said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who saw the gunman make his getaway to help."

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8247 4554 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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