A FATHER-OF-TWO was slashed across the throat and left dying outside an Oxford pub.

Two people were today being held by detectives who launched a murder inquiry following the death of Stephen Pinker, 43, outside The Corner House pub in Hollow Way, Cowley, late on Tuesday.

Officers have until midday today to continue quizzing the pair about Mr Pinker's death before needing to seek an extension.

Neighbours described hearing screaming coming from outside the pub as police and paramedics tried in vain to save Mr Pinker's life.

Mr Pinker, of Burford Road, Witney, died at the scene from a knife wound to his neck.

Police said the stabbing followed a disagreement between two people.

A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 21-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. They were still in custody yesterday.

Witnesses said dozens of residents came out of their homes at about 10.40pm after hearing screaming.

A 50-year-old woman, of Pickett Avenue, said: "I saw a woman running from the pub shouting call an ambulance'. She was shouting into her mobile phone 'I'm going to get you for this'.

"I didn't realise what had happened."

A 53-year-old neighbour added: "I heard a helicopter in the air and lots of screaming coming from the pub. There were lots of police cars. A woman was shouting 'Steve's been stabbed'."

Scenes-of-crime officers worked through the night at the pub gathering evidence.

Yesterday, tarpaulin covered a pool of blood outside the pub.

Police were also standing guard at a house in Leiden Road, Wood Farm, just 300 metres away, and searching roads and bushes near Stubbs Avenue, but no weapon had been found yesterday.

Oxford police commander Supt Brendan O'Dowda said: "I offer my condolences and thoughts to his family and friends.

"I would also like to pay tribute to a number of police officers and paramedics who were confronted with quite a horrific scene and who did quite a valiant effort to try to save this man's life. It has been quite a traumatic experience for all those involved."

Former barmaid at The Corner House, Maggie Field, 68, of Hollow Way, said: "It's inconceivable.

"We used to get the odd bit of fisticuffs, but a knife is just a different era these days."

A 22-year-old neighbour said: "I heard screaming. I looked out the window and a police car came round the corner followed by a couple more."

A 74-year-old man, also of Hollow Way, said he had lived opposite the pub for 47 years.

He said: "We don't want this kind of thing happening here. This is the worst incident there has been."

A 37-year-old mother-of-five from The Slade said: "There are arguments all the time, but a murder is not the kind of thing you expect happening here."

No one from the pub wanted to comment.