Police are investigating after a man was killed at a Lewisham brothel.

Police were called by the London Ambulance Service to the flat above a row of shops in Loampit Hill at around 2.25am following reports of an injured man.

On arrival, officers found a man, believed to be in his late 50s, with serious injuries.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at around 2.40am.

People in the area said the victim ran the brothel, which was an open secret on the street and had been in business above a barbers shop for up to 10 years.

Alan Winnell described him as a friendly Jamaican man.

He said: "He's been there a very long time doing some women business.

"A CCTV camera was set up because of worries about safety.

"A lot of Eastern European women were working there."

He added: "There's just not enough police control round here.

"This is a nice place but there's too much trouble now."

Shops in the immediate area were cordoned off this morning as police investigated the attack and a forensics team were on the scene.

Two women have been arrested in connection with the incident and are in custody at a south London police station.