Cardiff stabbings: Man arrested for suspected murder after two Matalan employees killed

The bodies of a 33-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were found in Queen Street

Police and forensics officers at the scene in Queen Street, near Cardiff Castle after the bodies of a man and a woman were found in Cardiff city centre (PA)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two Matalan employees were found stabbed in the street near their work place in Cardiff.

South Wales Police arrested the man after the bodies of a 21-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were found on Queen Street, Cardiff, at 5:50am on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old man, who has not been named, is from the Castleton area of Gwent.

The bodies were discovered close to the Matalan store where they worked, two hours before the shop was due to open at 8am. The company has confirmed the victims both worked at the Queen Street store.

Many of the shops in the area remained closed on Wednesday morning as much of the pedestrian area was treated as a crime scene. Most of the shops had reopened by the afternoon.

Police believe the suspect was known to the victims and was arrested within an hour of their deaths being reported. He is being held at Cardiff Bay police station and authorities are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

The victims have been identified and their families informed. A post-mortem will now be carried out to determine the cause of death.

Matalan chief executive Jason Hargreaves said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm that there was a fatal stabbing in Queen Street, Cardiff, this morning.

Forensic officers at the scene in Queen Street, near Cardiff Castle after the bodies of a man and a woman were found in Cardiff city centre (PA)

"Police discovered the bodies of a man and a woman outside the premises at 6am and arrested one man, who is currently in police custody.

"Both of the victims worked at our Cardiff branch so understandably all of our colleagues are receiving our full support. We request that they are given the space to deal with this at this difficult time.

"That is all we know at this stage and we are working tirelessly with the police in their investigations.

"We extend our condolences to the families of everyone involved."

A general view of the Matalan store in Queen Street, Cardiff, close to where the bodies of a man and a woman were found in the city centre (PA)

One man who was staying in a nearby hotel and witnessed the police and ambulance response, told the BBC: One man, who was staying at a nearby hotel, said: "I saw the blue lights and went downstairs and walked round the corner and at that point there were two or three police cars and ambulance after ambulance starting arriving.

"I saw somebody lying outside Boots and paramedics giving them chest compressions. It was not something you want to see ever."

Chief Superintendent Belinda Davies of South Wales Police sought to dispel any speculation that the attack was related to terrorism or the homeless community in the city.

She said: "This incident occurred in the main shopping area in the heart of the city in rush-hour and it has no doubt shocked the community of Cardiff.

"Please be reassured that we have a team of officers investigating what happened and importantly we have a suspect in custody and we are not looking for anybody else.

"We are in the very early stages of the investigation but I would like to add that at this stage we believe the suspect was known to the victims and it was not a random assault.

"I would like to dispel speculation circulating as to the motive behind this tragic incident and make it clear that this is not being linked to terrorism, and any links to the homeless community are unfounded."