Residents of the street where a man was fatally stabbed last night have all said they were shocked that such a thing could happen where they live.

London Ambulance Service and the police were called to Dunwich Court, Glandford Way, Chadwell Heath at 11pm to reports of an injured man.

They found a man, believed to be in his 30s stabbed in the chest.

He was pronounced dead at about 2am this morning.

Two women, aged 24 and 34, have been arrested in connection with the death which is being treated as suspicious and are being held in east London police stations.

A 30-year-old woman who lives opposite the flat said she saw the man being taken away on a stretcher.

“I was watching it all from my bedroom window,” she said. “I’m very shocked. He was a nice guy. I would never have expected that to happen. You just don’t expect that to happen on your doorstep.”

She said police dogs were also on the scene and an ambulance as well as an ambulance response car and a number of police cars.

Mohammed Hannan, 58, who lives in the same street, said he was returning from shopping after 11.30pm when he saw lots of blue flashing lights in his road.

“I didn’t know what had happened,” Mr Hannan said. “This is a nice, peaceful quiet estate.

“We haven’t seen anything like his before. When I saw the police I realised something big had happened.”

Djurick Ricao, 34, said he saw lots of police standing outside his window, adding: “It’s shocking that it’s happened. It’s a terrible thing especially at this time of year – it’s almost Christmas.”

Police are waiting to formally identify the man before releasing his details and next of kin have been informed.

Police said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident at this stage.