Ross Hunter, 21, was sat in the first floor bedroom of his Hylton Road home watching DVDs when a firework was launched.

Mr Hunter, who shared a house with three other people, ran downstairs and chased the thugs before suddenly collapsing on the ground at 9.30pm on Tuesday.

One of his housemates followed him onto the street and watched on in horror as he fell.

She ran to his side and gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

His landlord, Kevin Shaw, told the Echo: "He was sitting in his bedroom and someone set off a firework on the road downstairs.

"It hit his bedroom window and he's the kind of person who sticks up for himself so he must have been so annoyed that he came downstairs and went outside and chased after them.

"He got as far as the bus stop just yards down the road and keeled over. One of the other housemates chased down after him as well."
Mr Hunter was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Paula Parry, 42, who works and lives on Hylton Road, added: "I heard a loud bang and looked out of the window.

I looked out of the window and saw someone running down the road. I ran outside and saw the young lad lying in the middle of the road. You could see there was something seriously wrong with him.

"I can't believe it because I used to see him round and about and he would come into the shop. He seemed a nice lad who kept himself to himself. He was no bother.

"Four people phoned the ambulance to get here but it took ages to get here, it's a disgrace."

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) today told the Echo they received a call at 9.31pm and an ambulance arrived at the scene within 11 minutes. The target time is 19 minutes.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Potts, of Sunderland CID, said: "Mr Hunter appears to have died after a fall in the street. However, we are not in a position to confirm the cause of death until a post mortem examination, which could be held today.

"It is not entirely clear why he left his home but reports say he may have responded to an incident on the street caused by a firework.

"We are speaking to a number of witnesses but there is no indication that he was physically assaulted."

The tragedy came on the same day Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service launched their annual fireworks campaign.

The Bonfires Ruin Lives in a Flash campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of fireworks in the run up to Bonfire Night.

In October 2004, Arthur "Arky" Lonsdale, 52, died after a firework – known as a Little Brother – was pushed through the letter box of his home in Westerham Close, Witherwack.

Anyone witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact Sunderland CID, tel: 03456 043043.