DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses who saw a 4x4 vehicle in and around the Southend area minutes after a woman was stabbed in a house, leaving her fighting for her life in hospital.

The 26-year-old woman sustained the injuries inside a house on Park Street in Westcliff shortly before 9:30am on Thursday, February 13. She was airlifted to Royal London hospital where she in a critical condition.

Shortly after 10:30am on the Thursday, officers stopped a black Land Rover Discovery at the junction of Eastern Esplanade and Plas Newydd. Inside was a 42-year-old local man who himself had sustained stab wounds.

He was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and was airlifted to a hospital in London. He is currently in a stable condition and under police guard.

Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Mark Hall, said: "We have now finished our work at the house, but are still completing the forensic examination of the Discovery. We are still keen to identify the journey that its driver took and so want to hear from those shoppers, retailers, residents or those out and about who saw an old-style Land Rover Discovery in the Westcliff, Southend town centre and Thorpe Bay areas during a one-hour window between 9:30-10:30am on Thursday morning.”

The stabbing is believed to be domestic-related and police have had previous contact with the victim. As such, the incident was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Anyone with information in connection with this stabbing is urged to contact detectives at Brentwood’s Major Investigation Team on 101, email scdappeals@essex.pnn.police.ukor call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.