The woman stabbed to death on the eve of a Government-led amnesty on knives, was hair dresser Sharon Bell, 38, Elswick, Newcastle.

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Ford said she was found last night in the doorway of the New York hair salon, on Nelson Street in Newcastle, where she worked.

A post mortem at Newcastle General Hospital revealed she died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Detectives are searching CCTV footage and appealing for witnesses to come forward to assist the murder investigation.

DCI Ford said: "We know that Nelson Street would have been very busy with shoppers and office workers at the time, who must have seen or heard something of what happened.

"We need to speak to anyone who may have information which can assist the investigation.

"Though our enquiries suggest that this was unlikely to have been a random attack we still need to establish what happened."

Murdered mum-of-three Sharon Bell lived in a three bed bedroom terraced house in Belgrave Parade, a cul-de-sac in Elswick, Newcastle.

Three floral tributes, including one from her friend Yvonne Breen, were tied to the railings outside her home.

A grey Vauxhall Corsa parked on the drive had its back window smashed in and a black binliner taped over the smashed glass.

Neighbours said the glass was smashed last Friday.

Sharon had lived on the street for 17 years and lived for her three children Dale, 16, Trisha, 15, and Fay, 6, they said.

She was a single parent who split from her boyfriend six months ago.

A 30-year-old mother-of -two who has lived on the same street as Sharon for three years said: "She was just so friendly and loved by everyone.

"She was absolutely beautiful - I mean really stunning. She was five foot five, had blonde hair, which always looked nice because she was a hairdresser in town.

"If any kids on the street wanted their hair cutting she would always do it.

"I remember this old couple would come to her house every Friday at 5.30pm to have their hair cut. That is what kind of person she was - she always had time for everyone.

"I can't believe it happened in broad daylight on that busy street.

"I found out it had happened at 7.30 last night.

"Earlier in the day I had seen her daughter Trisha, she was having a laugh with her boyfriend in the front garden and she seemed very happy.

"The next time I knew anything Trisha's boyfriend told me Sharon had been killed and I have not seen them since.

"The car back window was smashed in last Friday.

"It happened two times before and this last time she was telling me she could not afford to have it replaced again.

"She was a really fun person, and she had a lot of friends round here.

"On Saturday night a minibus with about 15 or 16 people would turn up at her door and they would go into town for drinks.

Messages on the floral tributes read: "We are sorry. We cannot believe you are gone. You will always be in our hearts and our thoughts. Yvonne."

Another read: "Tragically lost and sadly missed, rest in peace, Sharon, Mark, Lisa, and family."

Claire Morris, 32, of Belgrave Parade, said: "I only moved here last week so obviously I did not know her well but I have said hello to her.

"I just can't believe that this has happened to somebody on my street.

"I was actually in town when she was killed, just one street away."