Daniel Young, 30, was killed as he walked to work in Morden for the second day in his role as a teaching fellow at Coventry University's London Campus

The commuter stabbed to death in a south London park yesterday morning was a 30-year-old university lecturer walking to his second day in a new job.

Daniel Young has been described by police as a 'young man going about his business' when he was fatally wounded while passing through Kendor Gardens close to Morden Underground station.

It is understood he had just left the family home of his long-term girlfriend Ellen Ball, 22, and was heading for what was just his second day in his new role as a teaching fellow at Coventry University's London Campus.

Passers-by tried desperately to save his life, performing CPR as emergency services arrived at the scene.

However, he could not be saved and was pronounced dead a short time later by the crew from the London Air Ambulance.

Speaking at her home in Wimbledon - just minutes from where the stabbing occurred - the father of Mr Young’s girlfriend said she was too upset to speak today.

The couple enjoyed a holiday to Greece together last June and friends said they had been together for ‘some time’.

Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons, who is leading the investigation into his death, said Mr Young's murder was an 'unprovoked attack'.

He said: 'This appears to be unprovoked attack on a man that was simply going about his daily business.

'We believe that at the time of the incident Daniel was heading towards the station and was on his way into work.

'The stabbing occurred during the rush hour period and there would have been a number of commuters in the vicinity making their way to and from the nearby underground stations and tram stops.'

Metropolitan Police officers closed off the public park in the wake of the incident, with forensic experts clad in protective white suits seen examining the area yesterday afternoon.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of wasting police time and subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to a police station in south London and has since been released on bail.

It is understood Mr Young had left the family home of his long-term girlfriend Ellen Ball, 22 (pictured together during a previous holiday), just minutes before he was fatally stabbed as he walked toward Morden tube station

Mr Young (pictured) has been described by police as a 'young man going about his business' when he was fatally wounded while passing through Kendor Gardens close to Morden Underground station

Mr Young is thought to have left his girlfriend Ellen Balls' home in Sandbourne Avenue just before 8am yesterday. Minutes later, as he made his way to Morden Tube Station, he was stabbed in Kendor Gardens

The are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Detective Lyons added: 'I would like to hear from anyone who was in or around the Kendor Gardens area between 7.50am and 8.15am who can help with establishing the movements of the suspect.'

Mr Young was originally from Paignton in Devon before moving to London. He was a student at the University of Brighton and spent time in Germany at the ANGELL Academy Freiburg.

As a school pupil, he attended Churston Ferrers Grammar in Brixham, Devon.

Kate Price, commercial controls manager at the Wimbledon Guardian, once worked alongside him organising an awards night in the capital.

She said: 'He was a lovely guy. It’s very sad news.'

Officers are trying to establish if there is a link between Mr Young's murder and another knife attack that happened nearby.

A 23-year-old man was stabbed in the buttocks only 45 minutes earlier roughly half a mile from Kendor Gardens. He remains in hospital in a serious condition.

Police have named the man stabbed to death in a south London park yesterday morning as 30-year-old Daniel Young. He is believed to have been walking to work when he was killed

Mr Young was pronounced dead at the scene. Forensic experts were seen examining the public park in the wake of the attack

Passers-by tried desperately to save the 30-year-old, performing CPR as the emergency services rushed to the scene

Megan Rayner, 62, whose house overlooks the park, told the London Evening Standard: 'I looked out my window and saw three people standing in the park by a tree.

'One bent down and another one went and phoned. One of them was on the ground and started doing CPR. About five minutes later three police cars suddenly zoomed in.'