5:40pm Tuesday 25th September 2007
By Nick Evans
FRIENDS, colleagues and family have paid tribute to a man stabbed to death in a suspected 'street robbery gone wrong'.
David Brown, who went to St Stephen's Primary School, Burnley, Mansfield High School, Brierfield, and then Burnley College, died after being stabbed three times in his thighs.
It is not known whether he was attacked outside his flat in Hulme, Manchester, or if he had managed to walk some distance before collapsing.
David, 24, was found at 7.30am on Friday. He had not been seen since leaving bar Cruz 101 in Manchester's Canal Street around 2 or 3am.
David's half-brother Samuel Barton, 13, of Clayton-le-Moors, has set up a website to attract information. In an emotional post he said: "I never really got to know David even though I was his brother. But he never ever forgot my birthday and I wish I got to know him better."
Another tribute on the same website from Susan reads: "David was a lovely shy quiet boy who was kindhearted and would not hurt a fly, I am devastated that someone could harm him and cause his death. God Bless David."
His mum and sister, Sylvia Stansfield and Zoe Brown, said he was a 'popular, loving and thoughtful son and brother.' David had recently quit his job to realise his dream of teaching English in Spain and would yesterday have started a four-year degree in Spanish at Manchester Metropolitan University.
He had moved to Manchester four years ago. His family, including father Peter of Hollingreave Road, Burnley, described him as a "quiet but popular person."
His former boss at the Sale branch of WHSmith, where he worked for 12 months, said David had been a very popular member of staff.
Supervisor David Hessom said: "David worked here for more than a year and he was a lovely lad. He was very popular with everybody and he will be very sadly missed."
Police said yesterday they had no update on the investigation.
If you can help call the Incident Room on 0161 856 3691 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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