Detectives investigating the murder of James Attfield at Colchester have identified two more people who were in the park where the incident happened.

A man and a woman who were seen on CCTV walking through Lower Castle Park at 2.19am on Saturday, March 29 have now been traced after images were shown on the BBC Crimewatch programme last night, Monday, April 28.

Detectives are now making arrangements to interview the man and woman to establish whether they have any further information about other people seen in the park at the same time.

A total of eight people caught on CCTV walking through Lower Castle Park late on Friday, March 28 and into the early hours of Saturday have now been identified and eliminated from enquiries. A further 15 people have yet to come forward.

DCI Simon Werrett, who is leading the murder investigation, said: “The Crimewatch programme was extremely useful and we are hoping that the man and woman who have come forward will be able to provide more information about others who were in the park at the time.

“We still need to trace 15 people and would appeal to anyone who was in the park at the time and has not yet spoken to police to contact us as soon as possible. If anyone knows anything, no matter how small or trivial they think the information might be, please do get in touch with my investigation team. We still need help from the public to establish what Mr Attfield’s movements were between the River Lodge pub shortly after 10pm on Friday, March 28 and when he was found dying from stab wounds in Lower Castle Park shortly before 6am on Saturday, March 29.”

DCI Werrett said that forensic tests on knives found during searches in the park area had failed to establish any links to the murder.

He added: “We are convinced that the knife is still out there and so are the killer’s clothes which are likely to be covered in blood. Someone must know where that knife and the clothes are.”

A reward of up to £5,000 has been offered by Crimestoppers for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person, or persons, responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

On Wednesday, April 23, a 27-year-old man from Colchester was arrested in connection with the murder. He and a 27-year-old woman, also from the town, are now on police bail until Friday, May 9 pending further enquiries.