By Mark HeathA MURDER inquiry was launched last night after a woman died from serious injuries inflicted in a savage alleyway attack.Police found the 25-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, lying unconscious in an alleyway in Ipswich at about 1.

By Mark Heath

A MURDER inquiry was launched last night after a woman died from serious injuries inflicted in a savage alleyway attack.

Police found the 25-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, lying unconscious in an alleyway in Ipswich at about 1.20am yesterday.

She was taken to the town's hospital in a critical condition, but doctors could not save her and the woman died yesterday afternoon.

A 21-year-old man was arrested in connection with the brutal attack on the woman and he was being questioned last night by detectives at Ipswich Police Station.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist, but Suffolk police have so far refused to release details of the nature of the attack on the woman or what injuries she sustained.

The attack happened in an alleyway off Alderman Road, near Ipswich Town's Portman Road ground.

David Ellesmere, deputy leader of Ipswich Borough Council, who represents the area, said he was shocked by the death, which is being treated by Suffolk police as murder.

“Obviously, people will be concerned that this sort of thing can happen on their doorsteps,” he added.

“As a councillor and somebody who speaks to the police, I and the council as a whole will be looking to see what we can do to try to make people safer.

“I know that the police are hoping to send more patrols out in that area in the New Year, which will be a good thing.”

Mr Ellesmere said the borough council would be looking at how it could work with Ipswich Town Football Club and link its closed circuit television cameras to the club's to improve safety.

“Hopefully, these are things that will help people feel safer. This sort of thing is very rare in Ipswich as a whole, and while that area obviously does have its problems, I wouldn't necessarily say it's any more dangerous than anywhere else in the town,” he added.

As residents of Alderman Road awoke to learn of the fatal attack, scenes of crime officers had already taped off an area of about 100 square yards and were scouring it for clues.

Half a dozen other police officers stood guard on the nearby Recreation Ground in an effort to prevent the site being disturbed.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said there had been a similar incident in the road over the past few weeks.

She added: “I didn't hear any screaming or anything unusual - there is always noise in the road with car doors banging and people coming in and out of clubs. We learn to take no notice of it.”

Yesterday's horrific attack was not the first serious assault in the area - on November 8, another 25-year-old woman was confronted by a knifeman in an unconnected incident.

The woman suffered cuts to her neck in the attack, which happened at 1.15am near the canal between Alderman Road and Bibb Way.

A 42-year-old man was later charged with grievous bodily harm and indecent assault.

mark.heath@eadt.co.uk