CLOSE friends of the Townsend Estate stabbing victim have paid tribute to their "smashing mate".

Residents were in a state of shock after waking to the news that the man found stabbed outside the One-Stop convenience store in Jewell Road on Monday had lost his fight for life.

The victim, named locally as 25-year-old David Scoats, died at Royal Bournemouth Hospital just after 4am yesterday.

Later in the day residents and friends gathered outside the store and laid flowers.

Detectives from Dorset Police have launched an investigation and a 21-year-old man, arrested on Monday night, was last night charged with murdering Mr Scoats. He is due to appear before Bournemouth Magistrates Court this morning.

Mr Scoats lived on the Townsend Estate where he was brought up as a child.

His many friends visited the scene yesterday to place flowers and pay tribute to him.

Gary Cole said: "He's lived here all his life. He was a smashing mate. He was quite a tall, big guy and he hung around with us for years. We are all really gutted. Rest in peace, mate."

It is believed that Mr Scoats worked for an agency doing various jobs. He had worked abroad for a time as a fruit picker.

Another resident who asked not to be named said: "For something like this to happen, it's terrible. It is such a waste of a young life."

Police officers are still appealing for witnesses or anyone who saw suspicious activity outside the One-Stop store between 5pm and 6pm on Monday to come forward.

A post mortem on the victim to establish the cause of death was due to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist yesterday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Neil Claughton, of Bournemouth CID, said: "The area around the One-Stop convenience store in Jewell Road has been examined by scenes of crime officers and the cordon lifted.

"Police officers are still carrying out house-to-house enquiries on the Townsend estate.

"Police officers searching the area have recovered a weapon but I can't go into the detail about the nature of the weapon."

Officers were called to the One-Stop store at around 5.40pm on Monday in response to a report that a man had been found with stab wounds. Around 10 minutes later, police were called by the ambulance service to an address in nearby Throop Road to a report that a second man had sustained a minor stab wound.

He was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital for treatment to a non-life threatening injury.

Both incidents were related and police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.

Witnesses are asked to call Dorset Police on 01202 222500 or the free and confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.