Wolverhampton stabbing: Shocked neighbours describe 'war zone' at flats

High-rise Highfield Court was evacuated while officers stormed a flat with stun grenades and found two people dead - a woman and a man who is believed to have attacked her.

A third woman who was stabbed in the abdomen is fighting for her life in hospital.

Before the dramatic police raid, two unarmed officers had entered the first-floor flat off Chadwick Close to find the man wielding a blade.

Their Tasers were ineffective and one officer was injured as the knifeman chased him out of the flat, before they called for armed reinforcements and the area was turned into what residents described as a 'war zone'.

Three air ambulances landed on nearby Warstones Green, while a dog unit and armed and unmarked police vehicles surrounded the 16-floor block of flats.

• MORE: LIVE updates as two killed in attack at flats

• FULL STORY: Two dead, woman critical and officer taken to hospital after police storm flat

Sean Delaney, who lives on the ground floor of Highfield Court , was getting ready to go out when he saw two officers.

He said "I live here", but police said, "doesn't matter, get out now."

Ian Byles, who lives behind the flats was first alerted to the incident when he heard helicopters circling the area.

He said: "There were helicopters, so I came outside to have a look. There were five flashes of light and bangs. I dived back into the house and saw a woman stretchered out after, I couldn't see very well, but she didn't look good."

Pauline Turner, who lives on the eighth floor, added: "The first I knew of it was when all the sirens started blaring and the helicopters landed. It was like a war zone.

"I heard the police trying to bash down the door to a flat just before 10. It was so loud, the sound shook right through my flat.

"It's a complete shock to hear two people have died.

"People tend to keep themselves to themselves here, and it's normally quiet."

Several residents described hearing gunshots, but the noise is likely to have been the stun grenades used in an attempt to distract the knifeman as police raided the flat.

In a press conference outside Highfield Court, Superintendent Keith Fraser said no shots were fired by the police and also said the nature of the relationship women and the man was 'unclear'

The suspect, thought to be aged 36, is believed to have attacked the two women before turning the knife on himself.

One of the woman, thought to be in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene and the second, aged 59, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Mother-of-four Jodie Ward said the road was completely blocked off and praised police for protecting the 'close-knit community'.

The 28-year-old said: "The police were so fast and they were protecting everybody.

"They kept the kids away and blocked off the road. They didn't let anyone through.

"It was so scary, you don't expect it.

"It turns my stomach not knowing what's gone on, we're a close knit community here and it's horrible not knowing if it's one of your own.

"My partner heard a couple of bangs and then all of a sudden five or six unmarked police cars were here, ambulance, air ambulance everyone."

Kelsey Nuttall, who also lives in the block, said: "Two policemen ran up and told us to get out.

"They said a man had stabbed a member of his family.

"I then heard banging as police went into the flat and shouting."

Janet Room, 68, lives opposite Highfield Court and said the estate was 'crawling' with emergency services.

She said: "The first thing I heard was a a helicopter, and when I looked outside the place was crawling.

"It's a lot calmer now than it was earlier, I saw them taken someone away in an ambulance and there were two more ambulances up the top."