Police probe boozy fight that led to fatal stabbing

Friends of the men said a fight broke out after a night of drinking at a 10th floor flat in the Castleveiew House block in Gilmerton, Edinburgh.

Police were called to the scene at around 8.45pm yesterday.

They reportedly found the body of a man - named locally as Billy McVie - in the stairwell of the building.

A second man, a 41-year-old identified by neighbours only as Colin, was discovered with stab wounds.

One 27-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said she had been drinking with the men shortly before the row erupted.

She claimed there had been a falling out and soon after a third man had shown up at the address.

The woman claimed she had been inside the flat when she heard fighting in the stairwell, adding: "The next thing was that I saw was Colin sitting at the bottom of the stairs being treated by a paramedic with blood all around him.

"Then the police told me my friend Billy was dead. I couldn't believe it.

"He was such a great guy, a really good mate."

Both the men are believed to be originally from Fife and neither were married or had children.

They lived at the flat for 10 years, but were said to be travellers who would often disappear for extended periods of time.

Today police had cordoned off the area around the block of flats and were only allowing residents to sign in and out.

A forensics team were also at the scene carrying out investigations.

It is believed the body was removed by a private ambulance last night.

A police spokesman said they could not confirm the names of the men as the body was yet to be identified, but said they were treating the incident as murder.

Detective Inspector Gary Cunningham, leading the investigation, said: "We are following a positive line of inquiry in relation to this incident, however we are not yet in a position to identify the deceased.

"At this time I am appealing to any residents of Castleview House who have information that can assist our inquiries to get in touch with police, if they have not already done so.

"Anyone else who has any information that can assist should also get in touch."

An ambulance spokesman confirmed that only one male casualty had been taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh suffering from stab wounds.