POLICE were continuing to question two people on suspicion of murder last night after a Christmas Eve stabbing in a Suffolk town left one man dead.The incident happened at an address in St John's Place, Bury St Edmunds, and paramedics said the dead man - who has not been named - had suffered seven stab wounds.

POLICE were continuing to question two people on suspicion of murder last night after a Christmas Eve stabbing in a Suffolk town left one man dead.

The incident happened at an address in St John's Place, Bury St Edmunds, and paramedics said the dead man - who has not been named - had suffered seven stab wounds.

Detectives and scenes of crime officers sealed off the area and carried out extensive searches in their hunt for evidence.

Officers were first called at 1.20am on Christmas Eve after reports a man had sustained chest injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police arrested two men, aged 28 and 22, on suspicion of murdering the man - one was arrested at the address and the other just a few minutes later nearby.

Yesterday morning, a magistrate granted police a 36-hour extension to further question the men.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said they were called to reports of a man bleeding in St John's Place at about 1.20am.

He said: “When we arrived he was in cardiac arrest as a result of his wounds. He had seven stab wounds.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said: “Suffolk police have arrested two men on suspicion of murder following the death of a man at an address in Bury St Edmunds.

“Police and the ambulance service were called to the address at approximately 1.22am following a report that a man had sustained injuries to his chest.

“Police arrested one man at the address and the second man a few minutes later nearby. Both men were arrested on suspicion of murder.

“The men are currently being held in custody at Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket police stations where they will be questioned later today.”

Meanwhile, residents in the area voiced their shock at the tragedy.

Ethel Walton, of Bloomfield Road, just opposite St John's Place, said: “It frightens me, I live right near here, I walk up and down that road. I never heard anything. It's awful especially at Christmas time.

“I know people who live on that road to say hello to - I was worried after hearing of the Ipswich murders, as someone who lives alone its frightening.”

A resident of St John's Street , who did not want to be named, said: “The first I knew about it was when I went out to get the paper at about 7.30am and saw they had cordoned off the road.

“I didn't hear anything but if you did hear something then you wouldn't think anything of it as it wouldn't be any different to any other Friday or Saturday night.”

Officers have been searching the grounds and bins of the Society of Friends (Quakers), the St Johns Centre, and The Parish Church of St John the Evangelist for clues.