A 61-year-old woman was fatally stabbed and two young people were critically wounded in a terrible fight that started as a family argument in Cospicua yesterday morning.

The dead woman is Marie Therese Vella, in whose house at 57, St Lazarus Street the bloody incident took place.

Her daughter, 25-year-old Mary Grace, also suffered stab wounds and Clive Farrugia, 24, the daughter's former boyfriend and father of her two-year-old son, sustained serious head injuries.

Both were fighting for their lives in hospital yesterday, the police said.

Police sources said another man, 35-year-old Special Assignment Group police sergeant Joseph Vella, who is Marie Therese Vella's son, went to the defence of his mother and sister. They said he had been asleep upstairs and rushed downstairs after hearing a commotion, finding them grievously wounded.

Sources said he tried to revive his mother but several attempts, including the aid of a shock machine supplied by paramedics, failed. She died in hospital soon afterwards.

Mr Vella was seen at the scene wearing a grey tracksuit covered in blood.

Mary Grace Vella was operated upon immediately on arrival in hospital while Mr Farrugia, who is believed to have suffered a fractured skull, underwent surgery later on.

A neighbour, shocked by what had happened, spoke highly of "Marì". She said the last time she had spoken to her, she told her she really wished to meet her idol, former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.

She said she was due to celebrate her birthday soon and was planning to organise a tombola party with her friends who lived in the same town.

Duty Magistrate Silvio Meli carried out an on-site inquiry.

Court appointed experts, which included architect Richard Aquilina and lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace, were also on site during the inquiry.

Police Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo and Inspectors Daniel Zammit and Fabian Fleri are heading the investigations.