Cypriot police are searching for two men wanted in connection with the alleged murder of a Kent man in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa.

George Low, 22, of Ladywood Road in Dartford, died after being stabbed in the neck outside a bar in the early hours of Sunday morning, on what was set to be his last night of a week-long holiday on the Mediterranean island.

Officers investigating the incident have now secured arrest warrants for two Turkish Cypriot men, aged 22 and 43, who are believed to have fled to the north of the country.

Local deputy police chief George Economou told the Cypriot Mail: “We are seeking two Turkish Cypriot men in connection with the murder. A Greek Cypriot woman helped the two escape.

“We have sent evidence from the scene of the murder for fingerprint and DNA testing.

“A knife was found at the scene, which we sent to our forensic experts for analysis. We are also looking at CCTV footage taken from various premises in the area in order to identify the culprits. Investigations are continuing.”

The Greek Cypriot woman, aged 49, has been in police custody and provided officers with a statement.

George's friend Ben Barker, also 22, was stabbed in the back multiple times during the same attack, but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening and he is continuing his recovery at Larnaca General Hospital.

Eyewitnesses described the attack as "completely random", with George and Ben having been enjoying a bar crawl to celebrate a friend’s birthday on the night of the attack.

The pair arrived at The Bell Inn at around 12.30am, where George had helped out during his time working in the resort over the previous two summers.

According to members of staff at the bar, it was around 3am when Ben went outside and was walking down a side street when he was confronted by another man. George came to his friend’s aid and the two of them chased the man off.

Having gone round to the front of the bar, the assailant returned soon after with another man and a row ensued. Ben was stabbed in the back multiple times and — upon coming to his friend’s aid — George suffered a fatal blow to the neck.

He stumbled towards the bar and pulled the knife from his neck, but collapsed in the street before members of staff could come to his aid. Ben was described as being in shock and an ambulance was called, arriving at the scene within a couple of minutes.

Staff at The Bell Inn described the entire episode as “completely random”, insisting that there had been no previous altercation between the men until the initial confrontation.

The bar was closed on Sunday night and the management issued the following statement: “We are deeply shocked to what happened to George and his friend in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“He touched everyone. Everyone who knew George loved him. He was fun loving, loved people, loved life, and lived life to the full" - Martyn Low

“We know it’s often said but it is never truer in this case that George truly was one of the good guys. He was just enjoying his last night of holiday. He was always happy, always joking and someone we were proud to call our friend.

“He will be truly missed. Our heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Speaking from the family home on Monday morning, George's dad, 55-year-old Martyn Low, paid tribute to his son.

He said: “He touched everyone. Everyone who knew George loved him. He was fun loving, loved people, loved life, and lived life to the full.

“I couldn’t wish for a better son. He was always playing pranks and you never knew what he was going to get up to next."

The tragedy has devastated George’s family, including mum Helen, 47, and his two brothers and two sisters – Wesley, 23, Laura, 29, Millie, 17, and Oliver, 11.

Some of them are flying out to Cyprus in the hope of repatriating George, with more than £10,000 having been raised by friends and well-wishers to fund the costs.