A SPECIALIST diving team has been called in, in a bid to help Ipswich police investigating a stabbing which left a man fighting for his life.

A SPECIALIST diving team has been called in, in a bid to help Ipswich police investigating a stabbing which left a man fighting for his life.

Divers from Norfolk police were believed to have been asked to trawl the waterfront to find the weapon used during the incident that occurred near the floating restaurant, Il Punto, early on March 11.

The squad were called in as Suffolk Constabulary does not have its own diving team.

Although the divers declined to comment on why they were there, Mike Nunn, a spokesman for Suffolk police, said yesterday was the end of a three-day secondment.

He added the team had been called in to aid the inquiry being headed by Ipswich detectives.

Mr Nunn said: “We are gathering evidence in relation to the stabbing in Quay Street that took place on March 11.”

The specific nature of the weapon they were looking for has not been made public, however it has been described as a shiny object in previous court hearings.

At one stage the victim, Jermaine Ballantyne, 21, was said to have a 50/50 chance of survival after being stabbed near to a major artery in his leg.

Demolition worker Christian Llewellyn-Jones, 30, of Hornchurch Road, Plymouth, who was living in a caravan at the docks while working there, was arrested shortly after the incident.

The father-of-three has been charged with wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

He is expected to enter a plea to the charge on May 12 at his next appearance at Ipswich Crown Court.

Llewellyn Jones is currently on bail.