Detectives have launched a murder hunt after an 87-year-old man was stabbed to death in Dorset.

The body of retired farmer Keith Percy Ridout was found at the entrance to a car park in Victoria Street, Shaftesbury.

The quiet market town's Gold Hill is famous as the setting of the Hovis bread television advertisements in the 1970s and 1980s.

Detective Inspector Mark Cooper, of Dorset Police, said: 'A post-mortem found that the man died from stab wounds to his leg and chest. '

The victim lived in Victoria Street and was brought up in the area. He was a single and only retired from farming when he was 75.

DI Cooper added: 'His death was a tragic loss of life and I'm appealing to witnesses to please come forward now in confidence and help our investigation.

'A murder investigation is now under way and an incident room has been set up. We're still making a number of inquiries in Shaftesbury.'

Two local people - a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman - were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday and are still in custody assisting police with the investigation.

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