DETECTIVES have launched a murder inquiry following the discovery of a man's body outside a house in Southampton.

The body of the white male, whom police say was in his 50s, was found on the ground outside a home in Cranbury Avenue in the Newtown area of the city.

The alarm was raised after witnesses called officers to a fracas at the junction of the road with Denzil Avenue at about 1.45am yesterday.

That incident also left a 50-year-old man in Southampton General Hospital with what were understood to be non-life threatening injuries.

However, as a result of those inquiries, officers were led to a nearby Georgian house subdivided into flats, where they made the grim discovery.

Det Supt Andy Stewart, who is heading the inquiry, codenamed Operation Stakehill, told the Daily Echo: "At the moment we don't know whether the two incidents are linked.

"There does appear to be something that links them but there's work to be done around what that is.''

The area was immediately cordoned off as scenes of crime experts carried out a forensic search.

Other officers have carried out house-to-house inquiries.

One neighbour, a teenager who did not want to be named, told how she had heard a noisy row.

She described how she heard shouting and screaming as her son dropped off to sleep late on Thursday night and a man told her she had better get used to the noise.

"But it's mainly quiet here at night,'' she said.

"I still can't believe it. You just don't expect it."

Another neighbour remarked: "I never heard anything after I went to bed. I looked out of the window this morning and saw the road taped off. I'm shocked.''

A major incident room has been set up at the headquarters of the western division in Hulse Road, with about 20 officers and detectives assigned to the case.

Home Office pathologist Dr Alan Anscombe has carried out a post-mortem and the coroner has been informed.

The results of the post mortem are expected to be announced later today.

Four people have been detained and are being questioned by police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the major incident room at Hulse Road on 0845 045 4545.