Lee Phipps and his mother had complained of racial harassment

Police investigating the murder of a man found with stab wounds on South Tyneside have said a new appeal for information has yielded results.

Lee Phipps, 31, was found with stab wounds in South Shields on 2 March. Mr Phipps, whose

Det Supt Steve Wade said that after a disappointing start a number of people who were in the Cleadon Hill Road area on Thursday afternoon had come forward.

Racial harassment Mr Wade said: "Several witnesses have rung in to report seeing a man running in the direction of the Cleadon Hills at the relevant time and a number of people have come forward to eliminate themselves from the inquiry. "We would encourage others to do the same." He added that police were meeting with specialist forensic scientists and are continuing to work closely with Mr Phipps' family. Mr Phipps lived with his mother, Barbara Yusuf-Porter, in King George Road in the town and both had previously complained of racial harassment.

Despite extensive searches, police have yet to find where he was attacked and believe he may have been stabbed away from where he was found by a dog walker.