Police today said four men have been released on bail until February 23, after they were arrested following the stabbing of a man in Ipswich.

The 33-year-old was having a cup of tea in the Siyako Kebab House on the corner of Bramford Road and Benezet Street when three men, carrying stones, threatened him.

Mohammed Abubaker, who owns the Asian Food Store, across the road, said his friend, the victim, was then attacked in the street outside his shop.

“They forced him outside, they had stones in their hands to threaten him,” he said. “The three of them attacked him and one stabbed him in the arm.

“He didn’t realise at first, he was in shock. I went up to the hospital with him. He is doing ok but is still very shaken.”

Mr Abubaker said there has been trouble in the area for the last three or four months. “I have reported problems to the police in the last few months, there are people around here who are like gangsters,” he added. “They threaten people and cause trouble.

“It can be very worrying. My friend was just having a drink and he was attacked. It could have been much worse.”

The attack happened at around 4.40pm on Wednesday. Police officers stopped a vehicle in Victoria Street at around 8.30pm. The occupants, a 29-year-old Ipswich man and a 26-year-old man from Hull were both arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

Officers then carried out three search warrants - two in London Road and one in Surrey Road, Ipswich - yesterday morning.

A 19-year-old Ipswich man was arrested at 5.49am yesterday at the Surrey Road address on suspicion of the Benezet Street GBH and an 18-year-old Ipswich man was arrested at 6.11am this morning at one of the London Road addresses in connection with the same incident.

During the police investigations a 22-year-old man was also arrested at 6.05am at one of the London Road addresses.

He was arrested on suspicion of an unrelated GBH in the early hours of New Years day at an address in Surrey Road, Ipswich, where a 37-year-old man sustained an injury to his forehead.

All the suspects are bailed until February 23.