A MURDER inquiry was under way today after a young man was stabbed to death on a Southampton housing estate.

The victim, thought to be a teenager, was rushed to Southampton General Hospital following a fight in Bransbury Close, Lordswood, about 6.30pm last night.

Police confirmed the victim had suffered a stab wound in what was described as a "public order situation".

Witnesses said the youngster had been fighting with another teenage boy when the incident happened.

One of the youngsters is then believed to have pulled out a knife before stabbing the other.

The injured youngster then managed to stagger up the street before collapsing.

One resident claimed the victim had been stabbed in the back with a knife before collapsing in the next street.

A woman in nearby Waltham Crescent said this morning: "There were two teenagers fighting up at Bransbury Close.

"One of them pulled out a knife and stabbed the other three times.

"The youngster managed to walk down the road and collapsed in a pool of blood outside my house.

"The last we heard was he had gone to hospital. We thought he would be OK. I always thought they were mates."

One pensioner added: "There was a gang of them out on the street last night all shouting and fighting.

"This estate has just got worse over the years.''

Another elderly man said there was a gang of teenagers out in the street last night shouting and ''larking about'' before the ambulance arrived.

The scene of the stabbing in Bransbury Close is a small cul-de-sac leading off Waltham Crescent on the Aldermoor estate.

The road remained sealed off this morning, with police officers standing at the entrance to the street.

Broken glass was spread across the road at the spot where the stabbing is thought to have taken place.

A team of Hampshire police officers was drafted in last night as a murder investigation was launched.

The inquiry is being headed by Det Insp Sara Glen, of Hampshire police's major crime investigation team.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the incident room at Hampshire police divisional headquarters in Hulse Road, Southampton, on 0845 045 4545, or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.