The uncle of an Arab student who died in a racially-motivated attack in East Sussex said that his nephew had sensed hostility towards Arabs in the seaside town where he was assaulted.

Ghazi Abdullah Al-Majed said he tried to reassure his nephew, Mohammed al-Majed, 16, about his safety by telling him he would soon return home to Qatar.

But the English student died two days after suffering a serious head injury during an attack near a takeaway, just before midnight last Friday.

The death has caused anxiety among community leaders, who are concerned that the incident will harm the town's tourist trade which sees up to 35,000 overseas students arrive each year.

In a further blow to the town, Mr Al-Majed said he would advise other Arab families against sending their children to England in the wake of his nephew's death.

His comments came after community leaders met at Hastings Town Hall to insist it was not a racist town and that generally people of all nationalities lived in harmony.

At a press conference, Hastings and Rye Labour MP Michael Foster said: "We need to recognise there are racist feelings among some members of our community and they are unacceptable. The good news is that the whole political establishment says no to extreme racist thoughts in this town."

Police said Mohammed died from injuries sustained from hitting the pavement during the confrontation, which happened as he was preparing to return home the following weekend.

He was with friends close to the USA Fried Chicken and Kebab House, near the junction of Robertson Street and the A259 seafront road, when a row broke out with a group of local teenagers. Reports that he was kicked or stamped on were quashed by Sussex Police, who said they needed to establish the extent to which Mohammed was involved in the fight.

Four local males, aged 17, 18, 18, and 20, have been arrested and released on police bail pending further inquiries.