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Bermondsey stabbing victims were 'mother, father and two daughters'

Police forensic tents outside the house in Bermondsey, south-east London, after three women and a man were stabbed to death in the early hours of Monday (SWNS)
Police forensic tents outside the house in Bermondsey, south-east London, after three women and a man were stabbed to death in the early hours of Monday (SWNS)

A man has been arrested after three women and a man were stabbed to death at a house in south-east London on Sunday night.

Locals have said that the victims were a mother, father and their two adult daughters.

Officers at the scene said that three women, aged in their mid-60s, 40s and 30s respectively, and a man believed to be in his mid-60s were found with stab injuries at the property in Bermondsey.

A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently being held in police custody.

One of the victims has been named as Dolet Hill, a 63-year-old grandmother who works for the NHS and recently recovered from cancer surgery.

Police officers in forensic suits examined the house where the stabbings took place (SWNS)
Police officers in forensic suits examined the house where the stabbings took place (SWNS)

Venecia Reid, told the Evening Standard her aunt used to work as a housekeeper at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital.

She described Hill as a “very nice lady, very friendly, she is a Christian”.

Reid said the family, who she described as “really close”, had moved to the UK from Jamaica.

“She looks over everybody,” she said of her aunt. “They didn’t deserve this. She is a very lovely lady.”

Other eyewitnesses have described what they saw as events unfolded. One neighbour said she heard a woman screaming 'for about five minutes' in the early hours of Monday morning, before police arrived and discovered the bodies.

Chief Superintendant Colin Wingrove, head of policing in Southwark, said: "In the early hours of this morning after answering a call from neighbours police forced entry into a house here in Delaford Road.

Forensic teams attended the crime scene (SWNS)
Forensic teams attended the crime scene (SWNS)

"Inside, they made a dreadful discovery of four people who have been stabbed.

"Despite the best efforts of officers and paramedics, the four people were sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

"I can confirm the three women and one man have died."

He added: "I want to offer my heartfelt condolences of all the family and friends of those concerned."

Wingrove said nobody else was being sought in connection to the deaths.

It is thought all five people were known to each other.

A police cordon including metal grates, and four forensic tents, have been put up around the crime scene.

A neighbour who didn't want to be named said: "I was watching telly when about half one in the morning, I heard a woman screaming for about five minutes.

Chief superintendent Colin Wingrove spoke ot reporters after the killings were discovered (SWNS)
Chief superintendent Colin Wingrove spoke ot reporters after the killings were discovered (SWNS)

"It was awful. I thought it was someone was holding someone hostage or something.

"But when I heard the police, the helicopter, the ambulances, I knew it was really serious.

"I saw about eight or nine police cars - all were armed - come out and surround the area."

Another neighbour said: "I saw a load of police jump out of their cars with guns. There were about eight police cars, several ambulances, and some of them were going door to door.

"They came to the back garden to make sure our door was secure.

"It was about 2am. We didn't hear anything else - we were just told to stay inside.

"My husband said he swore he heard screaming, shouts, some commotion but I didn't hear anything."

Neighbours heard screaming in the early hours of Monday morning (SWNS)
Neighbours heard screaming in the early hours of Monday morning (SWNS)

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Anne Birkett, 60, a nearby resident said: "I was woken up about 1.45am where I saw loads of flashing lights, loads of police cars, and a helicopter.

"My husband wanted to go out there and see what's happening but I said allow the police to do their jobs.

"I didn't know the family, you say hello and afternoon but I didn't know them.

"It's devastating. There are two primary schools in the area. Many people around here have young children and everyone is scared."

Another neighbour said: "I woke up because I could hear the helicopter - I had no idea what it was at first.

"It's crazy that something like that would have happened here."