Walsall traders and residents speak out after second young man stabbed to death in just six weeks

The area around Valesha's Nightclub on Newport Street in Walsall was quiet on Sunday, the day after a 29-year-old man lost his life following a 'scuffle'.

There was police tape all around the venue and the surrounding area, a high police presence and floral tributes left at the scene to the victim, a 29-year-old man named locally as Keemz.

Police were called to the nightclub, also known locally as Colliseum, just after 5am on Saturday to reports of a 29-year-old stabbed.

While being taken to hospital and despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at around 6am.

Police were granted special stop and search powers overnight on Saturday following the stabbing. No arrests have yet been made in connection to the attack.

The nightclub is situated on the roundabout with Bradford Street and Bridgeman Street, with the Saddlers Centre and the outdoor market situated only a short walk away.

A range of other shops and businesses run along the street next to the nightclub and some of those working on Sunday morning were still taking in the enormity of what had happened.

Nawzad Qadir, who works at the nearby Town Express convenience shop, said he had come in to do his shift at the shop later the same day and had been shocked to see the police tape.

He said: "I got to work in the afternoon and saw all the police tape, then heard from other people about what had happened.

"I'm feeling bad about it and I feel really bad for the person who died and his family as they've lost someone forever and even if the person responsible gets arrested, he only gets a few years.

"I do worry about knife crime as I fear for young people and I don't know what can be done to stop it."

The man's death comes just six weeks after 20-year-old Bailey Atkinson was stabbed to death in Walsall town centre. Nine teenagers have been charged in relation to Bailey's murder.

Other traders down the street shared similar concerns about knife crime, with one shop worker, who asked not to be named, saying she thought it was getting worse all the time.

Darren and Ali, who both worked in shops along the street, said they feared that the problem was getting worse and wasn't helped by a lack of police.

Darren said: "I think it's getting ridiculous and worse all the time as you hear about people getting stabbed and more stories about knife crime.

"I think we need more police out there to patrol the streets and stop people from carrying knives."

Ali said: "I was walking past the nightclub and saw the tape and police and then my manager told me what had happened, which was horrible to hear about.

"I'm very concerned about it as I was born and bred in Walsall and my father came here in the 1980s and we didn't have anything like that sort of problem back then.

"There was a stabbing a few weeks ago and then this one and the problem is getting worse and the police need to be cracking down a lot more and dealing with the knives and the other things that go on."

A resident, who asked not to be named, said he was worried about the number of knife crimes increasing.

He said: "What's happened is happening more and more often and people are being afraid to come out in Walsall and the surrounding area.

"I hope they catch the person responsible and that they do more with stopping people carrying knives because you do worry about people getting hurt or worse."