The little girl who was stabbed to death near Walsall in what police have called a “domestic incident” has been named as eight-year-old Mylee Billingham.

A 54-year-old man has been arrested in connection with her death.

Mylee was discovered seriously wounded at a property in Brownhills, near Walsall, on Saturday night, and died a short time later in hospital.

West Midlands Police said the man was also taken to hospital with a stab wound to the stomach.

Police said he was in a “critical” condition and would be questioned “in due course” over the incident in Valley View, a residential street on the edge of the town.

Investigators said they were not looking for anybody else in connection with Mylee’s death.

One neighbour described how they had heard a woman, thought to be Mylee’s mother, shouting that her “little girl” had been stabbed.

Graham Greatrex, 74, told how he helped comfort the woman after the schoolgirl was discovered badly wounded.

Other locals told how they were stunned at the news a child had died.

Bob Weir, 72, a neighbour, said: “I didn’t hear until this morning what it was and I was absolutely shocked – I didn’t know the bloke who lived there and he hadn’t lived there long, maybe six months, if that.

“There were police cars both sides of the road, ambulances … all sorts. I thought it was something to do with drugs.

“I didn’t know there were any kids in there. I thought he just lived on his own. I never saw a girl or a woman there.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “I only knew the guy to say hello to and I think he was married and was living there on his own. “I didn’t hear anything before the police got here.

“It’s really sad. This is not the sort of area where you hear of anybody being stabbed.”