Two men in their 20s have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed in the stomach near a town centre.

The victim, named locally as Mally, was found in Temple Hill Square, Dartford, on Saturday. He died at the scene a short time later.

He is understood to have been attacked in a nearby communal parking area, in Mallard Close, shortly before he was discovered.

Officers were working at the scene for days to establish the full circumstances, with parking areas cordoned off for some time.

Now two men, both in their 20s, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The first man, who is from Dartford, was arrested at 11.15am yesterday, while the second suspect, from Bexleyheath, was arrested at 12.10pm today.

The arrests were made following reports on Saturday at 7.13pm that a man had been found in the Square with a serious stomach injury caused by a stab wound.

Officers were joined by South East Coast Ambulance Service, and Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance, however he died at the scene.

A tent was put up in the street as police carried out forensic investigations.

On Sunday, the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate appealed for information and called for any witnesses who had not already spoken to officers to come forward.

Floral tributes have since been left outside the community centre and on the railings close to the scene where the man was killed.

Earlier this week, his family paid tribute to their "loving, funny and playful beautiful boy" who was just weeks away from becoming a dad for the first time.

They vowed to continue his "legacy" and have set up a fundraiser with all donations going towards his unborn child.

In a post in which family members thanked people who rushed to his aid on Saturday, they wrote: "Right now it’s hard to put the words together. Struggling to find the words to say and writing this with a broken heart.

"This is a fundraiser for our loving, funny and playful beautiful boy who’s life and future was stolen in the most disgustingly cruel way on April 2, 2022.

"He had so much to live for. Just 22 years old, with his baby due in two weeks. He was just two weeks away from becoming a father for the first time.

"So young with his whole life ahead of him. So many broken hearts. We have lost such a huge part of us."

Speaking on Monday, a resident, who asked not to be named said: "We don't know what happened just that it happened there in the car park.

"The police asked me to move my car so they could search the bushes behind it."

She said there was loud music coming from the Square that night but was unaware that a man had been injured metres from her door.

Officers have already spoken with several potential witnesses but believe there are a number of people with important information yet to get in touch.

Anyone with information which can assist, including eye witnesses and anyone with privately held CCTV or dashcam footage recorded in the area, are urged to contact police on 01474 366149 quoting 02-1033 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by using the online form on its website.