Tribute has been paid to murdered gay teen Michael Causer by his family and friends.

Michael "Mickey" Causer, 18, was attacked on Tarbock Road in Huyton on Friday July 25. He clung to life for a week until Saturday when he died in Whiston Hospital in Merseyside.

A statement issued by his family read: "Mickey was very close to all members of his family and will be greatly missed by his mum and dad, brothers and sisters, aunties and uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces, and his grandparents.

"Mickey loved life and had many friends. He was popular and well-liked. Mickey was the life and soul of the party, a happy, and outgoing 18-year-old man. Mickey was definitely a ’people’s person’. Our world will never been the same without him."

Matthew Fox, from the Liverpool Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Network, said that people wanted answers over the incident.

"People are angry and upset. Obviously we want to talk about this case because we want people to know that it has happened," Mr Fox said.

Merseyside police have confirmed that two men, aged 19 and 18, have been charged with grievous bodily harm in connection with Michael's death.

Tags: gay murder, hate crime, homophobic, michael causer