WERE you sitting on a park bench the night Jim Attfield was stabbed to death?

Detectives have made repeated appeals for a couple to come forward without success.

They believe the couple may have been sitting close to Jim, 33, of East Bay, Colchester, at 11.30pm on Friday, March 28, before his body was discovered shortly before 6am the next day on a path between Castle Park and Guildford Road.

The last confirmed sighting of the father-of-five is in River Lodge shortly after 10pm.

Det Chief Supt Steve Worron said: “The reality here is a young man who had a horrendous accident and was rebuilding his life.

“He has died.

“He was stabbed by another human being more than 100 times.

“All of us working on this are devastated and it doesn’t even come close to what his family and friends are going through.

“We are doing everything we can but we need help.

“Stop, take a moment, and think.

“Were you in the park over the night of the 28th and 29th?

“Even if you don’t think you saw anything you can narrow the window.”

The man was white and is of a stocky build. The woman is white. It is not known if they were together but they were at either end of a bench by the lake.

Mr Worron added: “The information they may have could be vital.

“If you think one of the people could be you, please come forward.

"It could be you know who the people are. If you do, again please get in touch with us.

“Don’t turn a blind eye. The people of Colchester can help us to solve this murder and I’m appealing to you directly to call us with any information you may have.”

Call 01245 282103 with any information.