Hayes residents say the murder of window cleaner Timothy Austin has made them fear for their own safety and even consider quitting town.

Mr Austin, 39, was found dead from a single stab wound in a house in Blyth Road, Hayes, on Friday at 9am.

The street was closed for several hours as police made enquiries and forensics officers visited the house.

Kieran Dunkley, 32, unemployed, of Blyth Road, was charged on Monday night with murder and appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday). He was remanded in custody to appear at a later date.

Now neighbours have spoken of their shock and fear. George Ozturk, 37, owner of Brunch Time Café in Clayton Road, said: "It is worrying because we have never known of a murder happening so close to us.

"I've lived here all my life but with more things like this going on in Hayes it really does makes me want to leave."

Proscovia Zakhele, 27, also of Blyth Road, said: "It just makes me think you really aren't safe anywhere, especially when the murder was in my road. I was probably at home when it happened.

"I have only just been able to get my own front door fixed but otherwise people could just come in by pushing it open, so it makes me scared to know how vulnerable I was, especially when I have two small children."

And a 54-year-old woman, who has lived in Blyth Road for 33 years and who did not wish to be named, said: "I was shocked to hear there was a murder so close to me.

"It doesn't make me any more scared than before, this sort of crime is just a build up of the way people are today, it's going on all the time and I think people have just got used to it.

"There are so many properties down this road that are rented by landlords, with so many people coming and going that you never feel safe."

* Call police on 020 7321 9251 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 if you have any information.