UPDATE: Danny Fox murder - two women arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender

One remains in custody for questioning while another has been released on police bail.

Meanwhile, Merseyside Police has confirmed post mortem has found that Danny, 29, died as a result of a single stab wound to the upper torso.

Police say they have yet to make an arrest in connection with the murder but have the name of a suspect.

 

DETECTIVES are still hunting the weapon used to stab Danny Fox as the net tightens on the murder suspect.

The 29-year-old from Thatto Heath, who is a doorman, was on a night out with friends when he was stabbed in the early hours.

Police say the stabbing followed an argument between two groups of people outside Bar 44 in Westfield Street.

Officers spent much of the day conducting extensive forensic testing across the wide area where the crime took place, stretching to North John Street and around the St Helens College site.

St Helens Superintendent Jonathan Davies said though a suspect has been identified to them, there have been no arrests up to now.

Danny Fox

He said: "Witnesses have come forward and named a suspect but we have not yet arrested anyone in connection with this."

He added: "What we know is that the victim, who is a doorman, was out socialising with friends and there was an altercation between two groups of people - just verbal at this stage, not physical - outside Bar 44.

"Subsequently, the deceased male ran away through the college car park and was then attacked in North John Street."

He said the victim was taken to Whiston Hospital where he died of a knife injury "just below his throat".

Supt Davies said: "We've cordoned off the route of the chase.

"We are carrying out a fingertip search of bins, skips and undergrowth, looking for weapons, clothing and blood spatters."

He said CCTV from a number of locations is being looked at.

He said: "The person we think is a suspect is believed to have gone on to another place after the incident, so we are looking at CCTV from that location in particular.

"We know the weapon was a knife but don't know what type of knife or what size it was."

He said police appreciate the road closures are having an impact on those who live and work in the area, but explained the investigations could not start until daylight and added the cordons are likely to remain in place well into the afternoon.

Supt Davies said: "We will increase police presence on the street tonight and over the weekend as a reassurance measure.

"I would like to reassure people that St Helens town centre is a relatively safe place. There are assaults in any town centre."

He added: "This attack will have been highly visible, so we are urging any witnesses to come forward, even those on the periphery of events."

Anyone with information should call Merseyside Police on 0151 777 6812 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The victim's next of kin have been informed.

Shop and business staff in the Westfield Street area have reacted to the death of a man following a town centre stabbing with shock and sadness.

Staff from businesses in the area, where roads are currently cordoned off to pedestrians and traffic, said they knew Mr Fox, who worked as a doorman.

A message posted on Dreem Bar's Facebook page this morning: "It's with great sadness we have lost one of the most adored and best door lads in town.

"He was like family to us all Dreem, bar staff  are in utter disbelief.

"Danny wasn't wasn't just a door lad, he was part of the Dreem team and will be greatly missed.

"Sleep tight our blue eyes."

Sarah Svendsen, manager of Beauty and the Beach salon in Westfield Street, next to one of the cordons, said: "This is devastating. He was a young guy, just doing his job. How can something like this happen?

"It's like a ghost town this morning. The roads are closed and police are everywhere doing forensic tests."

Some shops on Westfield Street, including Only Natural and a newsagent, had not opened.

Nicola Briody and Claire Sanders, from The Kitchen Sandwich and Breakfast Bar, said they were shocked and devastated by the news.

Nicola said: "My heart goes out to the family, he was only young. It's so sad."

Claire said: "It's a real shame, and sadly it's not the first time we've had this kind of thing happening around here."

A member of staff from Burchall's Butchers, who asked not to be named, said: "It's awful. I have a son around the same age.

"They need to crack down on this, there was another stabbing near the shop, in a side street, only around a month ago. They need to put metal detectors in the doorways of the pubs and clubs."

Former politician and manager of Avanti hairdressers, John Beirne, who used to run a bar in Westfield Street, told the Star: "This is terrible news, just awful. It's getting shocking on this street after midnight. It's getting a terrible reputation.

"I understand the police have to make cutbacks, but more police presence is needed here, especially at night, to stop these things happening."