Sisters of stabbed shopworker appeal for information after party stabbing

The sisters of a 21-year-old shop worker stabbed to death outside a 21stbirthday party at a community centre in Gloucester have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Dolton Powell suffered fatal wounds near the All Nations Club in Chase Lane, Gloucester, in the early hours of last Sunday.

Mr Powell, who worked in a sports shop in Gloucester city centre, was taken to hospital by paramedics but later pronounced dead. Two others were injured in the incident

Mr Powell's sister Janet told a press conference today that her family was struggling to come to terms with their loss.

"The last time I saw my brother I didn't think I would be sat here with myfamily," she said. "This doesn't happen to people like us. My brother was a good guy, a lovely guy and we loved him with all our hearts."

"Our lives will never be the same again, even if we live 50 years or 100years, it will never be the same."

"I think about him every minute of every day and until the moment I close my eyes, which I haven't for the last week, to the moment I wake up.We can't eat, sleep or think straight. Everybody is saying he was such a good boy and we know. The kind of guy he was, he would help anybody. There was nothing we wouldn't do for him as a family and that he wouldn't do for us."

Another sister, Andrea James, appealed for calm from the community over the death of her "baby brother".

"I am just pleading with the community in the wider area that any information you have got at all, please come forward," she said.

"Let's get back our community. We should be able to let our children feel safe on the streets with anything like this happening. Dolton was our peacemaker and he doesn't want any fights, reprisals or anything in his name.

Police say this is a complex investigation - it's believed Dolton died from stab wounds, but a post mortem is yet to be completed.Six people have been charged in connection with Dolton's murder - five men, all from Bristol, and one seventeen year old who can't been named for legal reasons. But Detective Chief Inspector Steve Porter says they want to talk to two more people from Bristol who may have been involved.

"We still have people working around the clock on the investigation and we are very keen still to trace anyone who was present at the scene. A number of individuals from the Bristol area have been charged in relation to Dolton's death. We have no evidence to suggest that this is a gang attack of any sort."

Dolton's family say he was a young man with a bright future ahead of him. Tomorrow balloons will be released at Gloucester Park in his memory.

Dolton's nickname was 'Happy Feet' - but tragically, a party last weekend proved to be his last.