Police have said they are keeping an open mind following the death of two people from Stanford-le-Hope.

Quhey Saunders, 20, of Stanford-le-Hope, was allegedly beaten to death with a shovel at the services at Cobham, in Surrey, on Monday and died in hospital on Thursday.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, a man, named locally as Kevin Malthouse, 24, of Stanford-le-Hope, was stabbed in the chest and died in Blackshot Lane.

Three others are currently seriously injured in hospital.

Two men, aged 22 from Grays and 21 from South Ockendon, were also arrested on suspicion of murder.

All are currently in custody awaiting questioning.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "We are keeping an open mind as to the motive behind these incidents as we look to establish the circumstances around what happened.

"We have found no evidence to suggest any link with an ongoing murder investigation led by Surrey Police."

The incident in Blackshots Lane is believed to be linked to another assault, which was reported to police at 1.55am.

An 18-year-old man had been assaulted in Fleming Road, Chafford Hundred. He suffered a head injury and was knocked unconscious. He was taken to hospital for treatment and later arrested on suspicion of murder.