Chef fatally stabbed after open air concert

Detectives were last night searching for two men after a 37-year-old French chef was stabbed to death after an open-air concert featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Reynald Duchene became involved in an "altercation" with a group of men and women in Southend-on-Sea in Essex, late on Saturday, police said.

Detectives last night said they wanted to speak to two men in the group seen having a "confrontation" with Mr Duchene. They said one of the men was dressed all in white.

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Mr Duchene had been watching the Concert in the Park in the town's Priory Park with his partner Paula Haddlesey, her teenage children and friends, and was attacked in a nearby street shortly after leaving.

Police said one member of the group was thought to have seen part of the altercation. Another later found Mr Duchene.

Officers were last night examining CCTV footage to try to identify the two men.

A senior officer said Mr Duchene may not have initially realised that he had been stabbed – and members of the public may have seen the altercation and not realised how serious it was.

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Police said search teams had found a knife and detectives were trying to establish whether it was the murder weapon.

Detectives said men and women involved in the altercation with Mr Duchene were "possibly of Mediterranean background".

A spokeswoman said one of the men seen confronting Mr Duchene was 20, about 5ft 10in, had a tanned complexion and was dressed all in white.

"He was slim with short, dark spiky hair," said the spokeswoman. "His clothing was three-quarter length white trousers and a white top with a large Nike tick logo."

The second man was of "similar size and complexion", she added.

"We're still trying to clarify the exact sequence of events," said the officer in charge of the hunt.