A lorry driver was last night being questioned on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed to death and two others injured during an apparent attempted robbery on his truck.

The 41-year-old trucker called police at 6.20am yesterday alleging he was attacked during a raid on his curtain-sided lorry at an industrial estate in Coleshill, in Warwickshire.

Police initially said the driver, who suffered minor head injuries, had indicated he had used a knife to defend himself against his attackers. About ten minutes later a call was made to the ambulance service from near junction 7 of the northbound M6 at Great Barr – about ten miles away – reporting three people in a car with stab wounds, including a man bleeding badly.

Minutes later another call was made saying the car was driving directly to Sandwell General Hospital.

The call was thought to have been made by one of the trio who was kept on the line by ambulance call handlers. The men turned up a short time later in a Subaru Impreza.

Warwickshire Police said a 36-year-old man later died of his injuries.

Two others, including a boy of 15 and a 34-year-old man remained in hospital.

The lorry driver, described as Mediterranean, driving a German-registered lorry with Greek markings, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

He told police he had suffered a head injury during the alleged robbery but was not seriously hurt.

Police and ambulance crews went to Junction 7 following the phone call from the car but found nothing unusual.

The exit slip road at junction 7 was later closed by police for a detailed examination of the scene, and re-opened at lunchtime.

Police were also conducting inquiries in Station Road Industrial Estate, in Coleshill, which is understood to be where the lorry driver had been parked up.

A blue Subaru Impreza, dumped outside the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department, was examined by forensics specialists and later towed away.

Det Chief Insp Adrian McGee, from Warwickshire Police, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are still gathering information in order to establish what has happened. “We are appealing to anyone who has any information from any of the locations to contact the Major Investigation Unit.”

Warwickshire Police added detectives were liaising with counterparts in West Midlands Police as part of their investigations into the incidents.

The force said: “The driver, whose first language is not English, has indicated that he was attacked in the early hours of the morning, and that he had used a knife to defend himself against his attackers.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Warwickshire Police on 01926 415000.