MURDER squad detectives were this afternoon quizzing a woman in connection with the death of a man after an incident in a York street.

Simon Gilchrist, 23, was found injured outside the woman's home in Bell Farm Avenue, off Huntington Road, just before midnight last night, and died about half an hour later in York Hospital.

Residents told the Evening Press they understood there had been a stabbing incident involving a young man who worked locally.

Police this afternoon said the victim appeared to have been stabbed, but a post mortem examination later today was expected to give the cause of death.

Officers said the woman, who is in her 20s, remained in custody, where she was being questioned in connection with Mr Gilchrist's death. They appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious in Bell Farm Avenue, Huntington Road, Roche Avenue or Middleham Avenue between 11pm last night and 12.30am today, or anyone with information which might assist in the inquiry, to phone them on 01904 631321.

Two locations at either end of the street were today cordoned off by police.

The first was an area of pavement outside four flats close to the junction with Huntington Road.

The other was an alleyway at the far end of the street, linking it to Byland Avenue, where a patch of what appeared to be blood could be seen.

Local resident Valerie Harris said she had spotted the blood while walking through the alleyway this morning and informed police. It had then been taped off, and a policeman prevented anyone walking down it.

Lisa Wilkinson, who lives alongside the alleyway, said: "I am shaking like a leaf. I got up and looked out and saw that the snicket had been taped off.

"You hear about this sort of thing happening, but you don't imagine it happening in your own neighbourhood."

She said she was up until midnight watching a video and had heard nothing.

Householders spoke of their shock at the news of the death. Wendy Gabel said: "It's unbelievable." Another resident said: "It's sick, isn't it? We always keep ourselves to ourselves because there are some rough characters around here."

Clifford Swatman, who lives in one of the flats, said he had woken up today to find the building had been cordoned off.

"I might be able to get out, but I don't know whether I'd be able to get back in again," he said. "I wondered what was going on when I saw the tape."

Updated: 13:49 Tuesday, July 27, 2004