Frightened residents are calling on Winchester City Council to move them from the Sussex Street hostel for the homeless after a woman was killed on Saturday night.

Police officers, called to a disturbance, found 38-year-old Valerie Ver'a-Tallett at the bottom of the stairs. She had been stabbed.

Supporting residents at the city centre hostel, Winchester MP, Mark Oaten, said there were "serious problems with drugs and violence" at the council-run property.

"I wouldn't want my child living at the scene of a stabbing and I don't think it's appropriate for young families to be sent back," he added.

Caroline Scott (16), who lives at the hostel with her 18-year-old fianc, David Crowder and their infant son, calls it as a "living hell".

Cramped into one room, the have to share bathrooms and toilets, where they find dirty needles and excrement smeared over the walls.

David said: "You can smell the heroin as you open the door. Well, you could until the place was raided a month ago."

Caroline added: "I just want the council to do something. It shouldn't take a stabbing to make them sort it out.

"It's a horrible building. There are 25 flats and we share bathrooms and toilets. You can't have a bath because it's so disgusting and kids can't play in the garden because of the needles. I don't feel safe walking out after 11pm."

David added: "There is no security. Even if the front door is shut, people leave the back open to let their mates in. If there was a fire, we wouldn't get out. The nearest fire exit is two floors down and you can't jump out of a window with a little baby."

Mr Oaten has long been unhappy about the hostel and has written to the council. "I've had a string of complaints and have visited on a number of occasions, both privately and formally.

"There are serious problems with drugs and violence and my biggest concern is having young children in that environment. I have asked the council to consider taking them away."

But health and housing boss, Bob Merrett, says the problem is more complex. "People involved with drugs tend to be young couples, or single parents with young children.

"But it's rare for there to be incidents where drugs are an issue and I don't believe it's worse than anywhere else. We've had a number of complaints and when we have, we have informed the police. Generally speaking, we believe that the hostels provide better accommodation than bed and breakfast

"There are obvious difficulties. When young women and their children have been housed together in the past, they have become a target for all sorts of people."

Almost five months ago, Mr Merrett said the council was looking into providing additional cleaning and supervision in a bid to improve conditions. The bathrooms are cleaned six days a week and CCTV cameras have been installed.

At Wednesday's council meeting, health and housing chief, Allan Mitchell, said there was a possibility some residents could be moved as a result of the stabbing.

"Officers have been assessing each case with advice from the relevant professionals in the NHS, social services and education," he said.

"As soon as better information is available, a decision will be reached on who might reasonably need to move in the light of recent traumatic experiences."

Eight adults and a young child were moved out at the weekend to make way for forensic experts. They were taken to the Hilton National, Chilworth, but were all all back in Sussex Street by Tuesday. The bill, expected to run into several hundred pounds, will be picked up by the city.