Yesterday's double stabbing has put Bury St Edmunds' "reputation" as a "jewel in the crown of Suffolk" at risk, according to one resident of the town.

Neighbours in the cathedral town have spoken of their shock after a man died and a woman was left in a critical condition after the attack.

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Police were called to reports of a stabbing at Harland Court, off Station Hill, at about 3pm on Tuesday.

A 40-year-old man died at the scene shortly after and a woman, also in her 40s, is in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

Police arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of murder in the vicinity of St John’s Street and he remains in custody.

A man working in the area at the time said: "I saw the helicopter land yesterday at about three, it was obscured by the tree line from where I was but it must have landed really close by."

The flats at Harland Court are part of a recent surge in property construction in the Station Hill area and were built on the site of the now-demolished Club Brazilia nightclub.

Isabella Miller, who lives close to where the incident happened, said: "I definitely feel a bit more conscious of my surroundings, especially considering I have to walk past the train station and that area where such a horrific crime took place.

"That seems to be a hot spot for crime in Bury just based off of history, so it’s making me question the safety of a town that I thought was really safe.

"It’s just weird to me because Bury always comes across as a very peaceful place, I think. That’s definitely how it’s advertised – as a jewel in the crown of Suffolk.

"It’s changing my image of my home town.

"I think Bury is a beautiful place and I love it here, but the news that we’re hearing at the minute doesn’t help with maintaining that reputation."

Another resident who lives opposite Harland Court said: "I was not aware.

"We had a shooting in the next block to me years ago, but as a resident, it is concerning that these crimes are happening".

In August 2015, a man suffered a serious gunshot wound at his flat in Forum Court in Station Hill.