Shop bosses tell of fear as Sheffield High Street reopens to traffic after suspected murder

Buses and trams were given the go-ahead to return at around 4.30pm, with High Street having been closed for around 24 hours.

A police presence still remained, with two officers patrolling the street, periodically stopping to speak to the public.

A patrol car still remained near the scene, with blue and white police tape attached to its door handle.

The tape, which had been previously stretched across the road and attached to the other side of the street, now formed a tangled pile on the floor next to the car.

Pedestrians were also back on the street, going about their business, walking over a pavement covered in numbers painted in red, white, blue and orange, on the paving blocks beneath their feet.

Businesses near the scene were open again, but their owners told of their shock at the events of the last 24 hours.

Mobile phone shop owner Bilal Hafeez’s store was just a few doors from the police cordon.

He said initially he did not realise what had happened when the police arrived.

"When they took the body away, we realised someone had been stabbed,” he said. “I saw that the road was closed and the trams had been stopped

"We were quite afraid and surprised. Someone had been stabbed while there were hundreds of people out and moving around – that was quite scary.

"Sheffield didn’t feel safe any more. We see too many people fighting and shouting around here.

"I had heard that there was a police car nearby when this happened. I don’t know if there were officers in it.”

Shahid Kamran, who runs Phone Plus on the same street, said he had been asked to close his shop following the incident yesterday afternoon.

But he was able to open again this morning.

“It was shocking to hear what happened,” he said. “It’s the first time in my life that I have seen blood. It was very scary

“The police were asking people if they could check their CCTV cameras to see if they could get any visuals.

"I think a physical police presence is needed here, and I’m pleased to see officers today.”

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