A CAR involved in a fatal crash in Newport may have been falsely registered, police say.

Detectives investigating the death of 34-year-old Gareth Evans are also looking at any possible connections with his job as a doorman.

The father of two was walking to work at Yates' Wine Lodge on Friday when he was in a collision with a black Vauxhall Cavalier in an apparent hit-and-run incident at 9.35pm.

Mr Evans, who suffered serious head injuries, lost his fight for life late on Monday night in the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

Flowers have been left at the scene of the incident on Queensway, alongside a police notice appealing for information.

Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Ronayne, the officer heading the investigation, said the car involved had its licence plate dislodged after the collision.

A burnt-out car whose chassis number was matched with the licence plate was found near Raglan Barracks in Allt-yr-Yn later that night.

Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, DCI Ronayne said: "We did have difficulty tracking down the owner of the vehicle, as the car was sold in early March and we believe false details were given to register the vehicle."

He said one witness saw two people - one carrying a petrol can - get out of a white vehicle and drive off in a black Vauxhall Cavalier at around 10.15pm in Allt-yr-Yn. The white vehicle followed.

DCI Ronayne said detectives are looking to speak to those people. He said he was looking at any connections between Mr Evans' death and his job as a doorman, but no links were yet established.

Many tributes have been paid to Mr Evans, a divorced man who lived in Llanthewy Road, who was also a manager for Siemens Business Services, which carries out work for the Passport Office. He was known as a "gentle giant".

He leaves two children, aged ten and eight, his parents, who live in Caerleon, two sisters and their families.

Anyone who can help the police with their inquiries should contact 01633 838111.

A 19-year-old man, arrrested on Tuesday, was released last night on police bail and ordered to report back in six weeks.