Police investigating the murder of James Attfield have made a second arrest in connection with the enquiry.

A 27-year-old woman from Colchester has been arrested and is in custody almost two weeks after the vulnerable father-of-five was found fatally stabbed in the town’s Castle Park, an Essex Police spokesman said.

The reason for the arrest is not being released by police.

Mr Attfield, of East Bay, was found by a passer-by on a pathway linking Lower Castle Park and East Hill shortly before 5.45am on March 29.

Paramedics attempted to revive the 33-year-old, but he was declared dead around an hour later.

The former barman sustained injuries to his head, upper body and hands.

A post mortem examination revealed Mr Attfield, known as Jim, had been stabbed 102 times.

Officers have no motive for the murder. It is not known how many people or weapons were involved.

Mr Attfield had suffered severe brain damage after being hit by a car four years ago.

A man, 38, arrested in connection to the investigation on Wednesday last week was released without charge on Saturday morning.

Speaking last Saturday, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Werrett, the senior investigating officer, admitted it was proving to be a “complex” and “challenging” case.

However, he said he was determined to solve the mystery to bring justice to Mr Attfield’s family.

News of the arrest comes hours after police released CCTV images of possible witnesses sighted close to the site of the fatal stabbing.

Police want to identify three men depicted in e-fit images and people captured on CCTV near the park in Middle Mill on the evening of March 28 and in the early hours of the following day.

Det Ch Insp Werrett will appeal for help from the public live on Channel 5 tonight at 10pm when he appears on Law & Disorder: Catching Criminals Live.