A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in Birmingham.

West Midlands police opened a murder investigation after a man aged in his 30s was found in Cooksey Lane, Kingstanding, shortly before 7am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few hours later, the suspect, who is from the Hamstead area of the city and is believed to have been known to the victim, was arrested. Part of Cooksey Lane was cordoned off as officers carried out forensic tests of the area outside a house.

DI Caroline Corfield, who is leading the investigation, urged three people seen leaving the scene to contact police. She said: “We are in the very early stages of our investigation and I would urge anyone with information to get in touch with us.

“We already have some people helping us with our inquiries but I believe others have left the scene who may be witnesses.

“I am particularly keen to trace three people – two men and a woman – who left in a taxi, and I would ask them to make contact with us as soon as possible as they may have information which could help our investigation.

“Another life tragically lost to knife crime is another one too many and we are doing all we can to find out what happened this morning.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police through the West Midlands police live chat, or by calling 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting log 590 of September 7.