A MAN has tonight been charged with murder after a stabbing on Christmas Eve.

Marc Lindsey, 34, is due to appear in court tomorrow accused of stabbing to death 47-year-old Edward Vials.

Police were called to an address in Hill Park Road, Gosport, at 11.46pm on Monday, where Mr Vials, of Tintern Road, Gosport, was later pronounced dead despite the efforts of paramedics to resuscitate him.

A post-mortem examination found he died of a stab wound.

Lindsey, of Hill Park Road, Gosport, was arrested at the scene shortly after officers arrived.

He was charged with murder this evening, and has been remanded in custody to appear before Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Residents in Hill Park Road today spoke of their shock at the death.

Edward Cozens, 70, was coming back home just after midnight on Christmas Day and saw paramedics in the front garden trying to resuscitate a man.

"They worked hard on him for an hour but it didn't work," he added.

Another resident said she had heard screaming then someone calling for an ambulance.

She added that the address is occupied by a family; a father, mother and two girls.

“It's a big tragedy,” she added.

David Taylor said the incident had left a “weird atmosphere” for residents on Christmas Day, with families unwilling to let their children out to play on their bikes which they got for Christmas.

Others told how they had stopped youngsters looking out the window.

A section of road was blocked off by police over Christmas and residents said they saw scenes of crime investigators entering the premises on Boxing Day.

Police said they had lifted the cordons this evening.