A murder investigation is underway after a man was stabbed at a Tooting takeaway.

Police were called to Chicken Cottage in Upper Tooting Road at around 1.40am today following reports of a disturbance.

On arrival officers found one man suffering from stab wounds and another man with head injuries. A knife and a cricket bat were recovered from the area.

Five men were arrested at around 2am near Clapham South underground station. They are all young men of Asian origin.

They were taken to separate south London police stations where they remain in custody.

Both victims were taken by ambulance to a south London hospital.

The man suffering from stab wounds was pronounced dead at 2.27am.

Police are trying to establish the identity of the dead man who is in his 20s. Both men are thought to be Sri Lankan.

The man suffering head injuries remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Friends of the victim placed flowers at the site today.

Sam East, 29, who lives in Beechcroft Road, near to the murder site, said: "I heard a commotion last night at about 1.40am. It was pretty loud and shook me awake.

"Chicken Cottage is known to be a bit of a meeting point for local riff raff but nothing more than that.

"Everyone is really shocked around here. I just can't believe something so brutal could have happened on our doorstep."

Chelliah Arudchelvan, owner of Newsflash, said: "Its becoming more and more dangerous round here. Just a few months ago there was the double murder in Fircroft Road.

"All the trouble round here is linked to gangs. We see a lot of groups of kids hanging around here on the streets."

A postmortem examination is due to take place at St George's Hospital Mortuary tomorrow at 10am. An inquest will open and adjourn in due course.

The murder is being investigated by officers from the Homicide and Serious Crimes Command, based at Putney.

Anyone with any information should call 020 8785 8244 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.