A MAN who underwent emergency surgery to remove a bullet from his stomach after he was shot in city street, was this morning talking to detectives.

The 23-year-old man received the gunshot wound after an argument broke out between five Asian men in the Polygon area in the early hours of yesterday.

A second man, aged 27, was also viciously beaten in nearby Newcombe Road. Both incidents are linked.

The two injured men were taken to Southampton General by ambulance.

Today, officers said that surgeons had been unable to remove the bullet because it was lodged in a sensitive area that had caused major internal bleeding.

A spokesman for Shirley CID, where the investigation - codenamed Operation Cap - is being led, said the man was now well enough to talk to officers for the first time from his hospital bed. It will be five to ten days before he can undergo further major surgery to remove the bullet.

Police were called to Sandhurst Road following reports of a gun shot at 2.50am.

The road was closed for four hours yesterday afternoon while a team of officers carried out a fingertip search and door to door enquiries.

The firearm was found discarded in Sandhurst Road. Ammunition, including gun cartridges, were also seized from a house.

Neighbour Robery Mayoh, of Newcombe Road, said he was woken by an argument about 2am.He said: "It went on for about an hour. It woke me up but I've heard it so many times.

"About 3am I heard car doors slamming but that is not unusual. I looked out and there were four police cars."

The 27-year-old is today back at home where he is recovering.

Two men are being held in custody at an undisclosed station in connection with the shooting. A third man was being detained at a separate station for questioning over the assault.

Anyone with information is asked to call Shirley CID on 0845 045 45 45 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.