A MURDER investigation has been launched after a woman was killed in a “targeted attack”.

Police are hunting for the person responsible for the death of a woman who was found with significant injuries on Hartlepool’s Oxford Road on Friday night.

The incident unfolded at around 9pm close to a children's playpark, where youngsters were still present.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a scream and rushing to the aid of a woman they believed had been punched by a man.

One person said they ran to help the woman - believed to be a mother in her mid-20s from the local area - and realised she had been stabbed.

Sadly, despite the best efforts of members of the public and the emergency services, she died from her injuries just minutes later.

One woman, who attempted to save the victim, described the shocking scene that unfolded close to her doorstep. 


She said she had been disgusted to see hordes of people flocking to the area to watch as people battled to save the injured woman.


The woman said she was appalled to see people videoing the aftermath of the crime and later uploading it to social media.

She added: "I'm shocked and disgusted.
"It's always quiet around here, nothing goes on but today this is all everyone's talking about.
"It's so sad and it was awful seeing so many people pull up to watch, some of them getting kids out of their car to see.
"I came home hysterical and haven't slept all night.
"It's frightening to think about, I'd gone out to the shops earlier and was thinking it could have been me.
"I tried to help her, but I don't know who she was because I didn't want to look.
"It was horrible, this was someone's life.
"I kept thinking that she might have only told her family she was nipping to the shop and then never came back."

A man living nearby said: "I was watching the football and didn't realise what was happening at first but then saw that the whole street was out.

"It is absolutely horrible to think of this happening on my doorstep - you hear of stabbings down south but not here.

"This is a close community and we all look out for each other.

"Everyone is shocked but I believe this is a one off and people should not be scared."

A stretch of Oxford Road close to its junction with Catcote Road remains closed both ways as police, who worked throughout the night, continue their investigations.

A tent has been erected on a patch of land close to a playpark. 

A spokesman for Cleveland Police has appealed for any witnesses to come forward, saying: “Enquiries carried out so far have led detectives to believe that this was a targeted attack and a team of officers are working tirelessly to trace the person believed to be responsible.”

  • Anyone with information is asked to call police on non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.