A MAN was discovered with serious head injuries in a garden yesterday morning.

Police were called to Martin Road in Hove after they were called at 6.38am and residents were shocked to find officers swarming into the street as they awoke.

Robert Lambeth, who lives in Martin Road, said: “They put police tape across the road sealing off six houses.

“We were not allowed to get our cars out and anyone who left could not return to the houses.

“Police in forensic gear were in the road and have used item numbers in the road and on the pavement outside my parking gates.”

Police cordoned off six of the houses in the street for several hours as forensics officers analysed the area.

A man and a woman were arrested in connection with the incident, which an officer at the scene described as an assault.

Mr Lambeth added: “The dustmen have not been allowed to empty bins, the needle bins for my diabetic wife and mother-in-law cannot be collected.

“Police have been in and out of the house all morning.

“They have taken CCTV footage which one house used to protect their car from vandals, as it shows some of the road.

“Children have had trouble getting to school, as the footpath leading to Knoll Close has been sealed off.

“Another issue is that the buses cannot run down this road and no diversion signs have been set up to guide them or other traffic past the affected part of the road.

“Many elderly live in this road.”

The road was opened again at around 1pm on Wednesday.

Bady Touray, 30, who also lives in Martin Road, said: “It is sad that someone has been hurt.

“I was at home asleep, and I did not hear anything.

“I do not know what happened, so I am not sure how to feel about it.

“This area is not particularly bad.

“We get the odd cop car driving past but nothing like this.”

A woman who lives nearby said: “My friend was trying to walk through there earlier and told me it was all blocked off.

“I am quite hardened to this sort of thing because I was the victim of a violent attack years ago. At first we thought it might be a drugs raid, because that has happened here before. But when we saw all the tape we wondered if it was a murder.”

Another neighbour, a man who lives in Wilfrid Road, said: “It is not the only thing that has happened around here.

“People have been beaten up in Knoll Park, and there was a stabbing in January. It is about time police put cameras up, it is crazy around here.”