A RESIDENT has told of his horror when he discovered a stab victim bleeding to death near his home.

Residents in Kale Road, Thamesmead, heard Mark Evans screaming in agony and rushed to help him.

But the 44-year-old, from Abbey Wood, was later pronounced dead after being taken to the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.

The resident, who does not want to be named for fear of repercussions, described how he heard a commotion at around 11pm last Thursday.

He said: "There was a lot of shouting. I thought it was just a drunken brawl, people messing around."

However, the man suddenly realised it was serious when he heard screaming and ran to help - as did four or five other residents.

Mr Evans was lying outside Timothy House, a block of flats opposite St John Fisher Catholic Primary School.

The resident added: "He was screaming for help and then he went silent.

"It was horrible. There was quite a lot of blood. We all tried to talk to him. One woman was in tears. But he was unconscious. I thought he was dead.

"I still feel bad I didn't do more."

Several residents rang for an ambulance, which arrived minutes later.

The resident said: "The paramedics' car arrived, then the ambulance came.

"The first guy cut his shirt off him and you could see the stab wound.

"Then they took him away in the ambulance."

The resident also described how there were lots of beer cans near the scene of the attack.

Mr Evans was pronounced dead in the early hours of last Friday morning.

A post-mortem examination held at the mortuary at the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds.

Many messages of condolence have been posted on News Shopper's website, including one from the cousin of Mr Evans.

It said: "My thoughts go out to marks family, he was my cousin, i hope the people who did this are dealt with swiftly. Much love to his family."

  • Three men have been charged with the murder of Mr Evans.

They are Robert Randall, aged 24, of Holstein Way, Thamesmead; Gary Lee Wheel, aged 27, of Kale Road, Thamesmead, and Carl Barry Wheel, aged 35, of Lensbury Way, Abbey Wood.

They appeared at Bexley Magistrates' Court on Monday and were remanded in custody.

They are due to appear at the Old Bailey on October 22.

Two more men, aged 27 and 31, were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident.

At the time of going to press, they were in custody at police stations in south London.