Police said a 30-year-old man from the South Coast area died shortly after arriving at Cessnock Hospital.

Officers were called to the grounds outside St Josephs Catholic Church in Cumberland Street after receiving an emergency call shortly before midnight.

There they found the dying man bleeding from what appeared to be a single stab wound.

Police and ambulance officers immediately began treating the man, but he died soon after arriving at hospital.

Detectives were talking to a woman who was found nearby and a 28-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday in connection with the man’s death.

Central Hunter commander Superintendent John Gralton went to the crime scene himself and a strike force was established to investigate the stabbing.

At a special press conference held in Maitland, Supt Gralton said the man’s death was believed to be the result of a domestic argument.

He revealed that both the dead man and the woman were from the South Coast area.

“We are not sure yet of their living circumstances, other than they were involved in a domestic relationship,” Supt Gralton said.

“They must have had contacts in the Cessnock area, but as yet there is no obvious reason for them to have been in Cessnock,” he said.

“It is not known yet where they were staying at the time.

“The woman was arrested in Cessnock and there is an investigation into their backgrounds.”

Supt Gralton would not say where the man had been stabbed, what implement was used to stab him or whether police had the implement.

Police had been called to the scene by a member of the public using the triple O number.

Central Hunter detectives from Strike Force Stitz, assisted by homicide detectives from the State Crime Command, were handling investigations.

“We are asking anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Cumberland Street and who may have seen or heard anything to contact Cessnock detectives on 4991 0199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” Supt Gralton

said.