The girlfriend of a ‘murdered’ father-of-three is one of three victims in hospital after a ‘mass stabbing’ broke out following a ‘row over noisy motorbikes’ with a neighbour in a leafy Norfolk town.
Dean Allsop, who was in his 30s, had been trying out the vehicles when a neighbour in a bungalow objected to the noise and went out to complain.
A mass stabbing erupted which left Mr Allsop dead and three other people taken to hospital with knife wounds.
Mr Allsop’s partner Louise Newell who is believed to be aged 40 is thought to be one of the victims.
He was said to have been knifed in front of his teenage son.
Friends at the scene said she and another woman neighbour were both stabbed when they went out to see what was happening.
Police confirmed that two men had been arrested at the scene beside an area of communal garages in Primrose Crescent in Thorpe St Andrew near Norwich, Norfolk.
Father-of-three Dean Allsop was stabbed to death in front of his teenage son following a row over a noisy motorbike in Norfolk. Mr Allsop’s partner, Louise Newell, is one of three people who were injured
Friends at the scene say Ms Newell and another woman neighbour were both stabbed when they went out to see what was happening.
Norfolk Police said emergency services were called to Primrose Crescent shortly after 7.35pm on Wednesday ‘following reports of a disturbance involving a number of people’.
It was confirmed that armed police were among officers who responded.
Paramedics battled to save Mr Allsop, but he was declared dead at the scene close to his semi detached home where he lived with partner and children.
Mr Allsop and Ms Newell had an 18-year-old daughter, a son aged 17 and another son aged around four.
Mr Allsop’s friend Andrew Russen described him as ‘a full time dad’ who looked after his three children while his partner worked
Mr Allsop and Ms Newell had an 18-year-old daughter, a son aged 17 and another son aged around four.
The family were said to have moved to the area around ten-years-ago from Essex.
Mr Allsop’s friend Andrew Russen described him as ‘a full time dad’ who looked after his three children while his partner worked.
He added: ‘He was a top bloke. Everyone said the same. He was a proper family man. He was great with everyone’s partners and kids.
‘He loved fishing and motorbikes. He always wanted to help people and nothing was too much for him. This just shouldn’t have happened.’
Three people are in hospital, including Ms Newell, while police are interviewing two men over the incident
The scene was still taped off today as investigators continued their work on the murder probe
White-suited forensic officers were also been checking for evidence inside Mr Allsop’s semi-detached home today as friends placed flowers outside in tribute to him.
His friend Aaron Barkshire, 29, who lives nearby, said: ‘Dean and his son who was aged 17 or 18 both had road legal motorbikes and were going out for a ride.
‘This neighbour went outside because he didn’t like the noise of the bikes. There was a bit of a verbal argument and it just turned nasty.
Mr Allsop was a motorcycle enthusiast, pictured is one of his bikes, along with his son. Locals say they were about to go out for a ride before the brutal attack
‘Dean and his son were with the bike and he didn’t like the noise, so he came out giving it a lot. Dean rang the police and it got a bit verbal between them.
‘It is awful that something so trivial caused this. It is just phenomenal.’
Mr Barkshire who is a motorcycle mechanic said he witnessed the start of the argument and walked away to his garage.
He said: ‘I didn’t want to get involved being a neighbour of both parties. I went into the garage and that is when I heard a knife was involved so I locked myself in my garage.
‘I was fearing for my life because there was a guy with a knife and I thought I would be next, but I didn’t hear any commotion or anything.
‘My Mrs rang me to ask me if I was OK because she could hear what was going on.
Police remain at the scene, where a motorbike has been covered with a piece of white sheet
White-suited forensic officers were also been checking for evidence inside Mr Allsop’s semi-detached home today as friends placed flowers outside in tribute to him
Two bikes can be seen standing within the police cordon, while two men remain in custody today
‘I decided to go back to my house and as I went out, Dean’s son was shouting to me to call the police because his Dad had been stabbed multiple times.
‘I saw this guy standing there with a knife. It was a big knife. I was fearing for my life because this guy had seen me go into the garage and there was a massive knife. I thought ~I was next in the firing line
‘I saw Dean covered in blood, but he was alive at this point. We heard a lot of commotion and I think it carried on thereafter. It was all in a blue like slow motion.’
Mr Barkshire described Mr Allsop as having ‘a heart of gold’. He added: ‘He treated my kids as one of his own.’
A friend of Mr Allsop said they saw him ‘covered in blood’ following the incident on Wednesday
Norfolk Police said emergency services were called to the scene after 7.35pm yesterday night
Among units deployed were armed officers in precaution of any further violence exploding
He said: ‘His son had just rebuilt his bike and Dean contacted me to ask if I could listen to it as I am a mechanic. This was at about 10am and I said I would do when I next saw him.’
At least eight police cars, ambulances and rapid response vehicles were seen in the area after the stabbing.
An East Anglian Air Ambulance helicopter was also called to the scene and landed on nearby playing fields.
Retired health care assistant Eve Cooper, 67, said: ‘I realised something was happened when heard the ambulance and saw the police cars.
‘Then the helicopter came down so low that I could see the pilot. It was pretty awful.
I am a Londoner and I felt safe here, and I want to feel safe again.’
A Norfolk Police statement said: ‘Officers arrived on scene to find four people with injuries. Despite treatment by paramedics, a man was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘Three other people were taken to hospital for treatment to suspected knife wound injuries.
‘Police arrested two men at the scene in connection with the incident who will be questioned in due course.
‘Police have cordoned off the scene in Primrose Crescent while enquiries are carried out.’
Superintendent Tracey Little of Norfolk Police added: ‘A number of police resources, including armed units, were deployed to the scene.
‘A murder investigation has been launched and we are in the early stages of our enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
‘We would like to hear from anyone who may witnessed the incident or has information concerning it.’
Police forensic teams were still at the scene today and the area remained cordoned off by officers.
A tent which was believed to be covering potential evidence was visible outside the communal garages area.
Thorpe St Andrew is a small town and suburb two miles east of Norwich city centre and has a population of around 13,000 people.
The community stands beside the River Yare on the edge of the Norfolk Broads.
Police are appealing for anyone with information to call 101.