Three men arrested in connection with the death of a man who was fatally stabbed have been released without charge.

Jay Clarke, 30, of Copdoek, Basildon was knifed to death in broad daylight outside Cycles UK in Market Pavement, in Basildon town centre.

At the time police arrested four men.

Yesterday three of the men - a Basildon man, 21, arrested on suspicion of murder, another Basildon man, also 21, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiracy to murder, and a 44-year-old man, from Kent arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender - attended Basildon police station and were released without charge.

The fourth man has already been charged with Mr Clarke's murder.

Gary Rosier, 45, of Woodstock Crescent, Lain-don, appeared at Basildon Crown Court earlier this month, where he pleaded not guilty to the killing.

He was remanded in custody and his trial is expected to start on Monday, June 11.

Last September, Mr Clarke was given emergency treatment by paramedics after he received a single stab wound, and taken to Basildon Hospital.

He died early the next day, on the second birthday of his only son Tyreece.

Following his death, Mr Clarke's devastated family paid tribute to the "artistic and witty" dad-of-one.

Mr Clarke's murder was one of four murders - three of which were stabbings - in the space of four weeks last Summer. The killings prompted a knife-crime crackdown by police.