Detectives hunting the killers responsible for two murders in Colchester have today announced they are following more than 400 forensic leads.

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron said 312 exhibits have been recovered from Lower Castle Park, where James Attfield was found dying on March 29, having been stabbed more than 100 times.

A further hundred items have been submitted for forensic analysis connected with the murder of Saudi Arabian student Nahid Almanea who was stabbed in a brutal attack on the Salary Brook Trail on Tuesday, June 17.

A number of knives have been recovered in connection with the killings, however police said earlier this week that the wounds inflicted in both murders were so “vicious” it was difficult to tell if the same weapon had been used.

More than 200 other exhibits from the scene are being analysed for fingerprints, with further DNA, fibre and footwear analysis also progressing.

Det Ch Supt Worron said more than 100 calls had been received about people sighted near the Salary Brook Trail murder scene, including 24 reports of a distinctive Italian style designer jacket.

“The response from the public continues to fuel our investigation and we would continue to urge anyone with any information, however small or insignificant they think it is to call us,” he said.

Around 100 detectives from across the region are working on the two murder cases with support from colleagues in Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and the Metropolitan Police.

Det Ch Supt Worron said officers are continuing to appeal for information.

“We still believe that there are people who were on or nearby the Salary Brook Trail at the time of Nahid’s murder who have not yet spoken to us,” he said.

“They may believe they have nothing to add to our investigation but if they were there or nearby we would really like to hear from them.”

The man seen at the scene sometime between 10.20am and 10.40am wearing a “very distinctive jacket” remains of particular interest to detectives.

It is described as being an Italian designer item, slightly longer than waist-length, had brown buttons up the front and two pockets also with buttons.

It was beige in colour and had a belt which may have had a buckle. He was walking on the footpath near the underpass on the A133 side of the Salary Brook Trail.

A team of officers have returned from Saudi Arabia where they were offering support to Ms Almanea’s family, which they will continue to do from the UK as the investigation progresses.

Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward for information which leads to the conviction of those responsible for Ms Almanea’s murder.

Any information is asked to call the incident room on 01245 282103 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.