Bystanders who saw an altercation in which a man died were traumatised by the incident, according to people in the area.

They were watching a youth football match at Somerset Cricket Club and were closest to where the incident was said to have taken place.

Police said footage may have been caught on mobile phones – and appealed for anyone who may have recorded it to contact them.

Richard Scott, the president of Somerset Cricket Club, called it another example of “the scourge on our island”.

On Saturday, police reported that a man had died after a confrontation broke out, involving a group of men, on Somerset Road, near the junction of Hook and Ladder Lane in Sandys.

Officers were alerted to “an altercation involving several men” at about 9.35am, a police spokeswoman said.

She said that the argument eventually shifted on to Clyde Best Lane across the road – which runs along the northern edge of the cricket club field.

Spectators at another youth match today said they did not believe the attack was witnessed by any of the young people on the field, because the lane – named after Bermuda’s renowned footballer – lies below an embankment.

But some told The Royal Gazette that some bystanders who saw the attack were left “traumatised”.

Mr Scott said: “I will gladly say that the young people there would not have seen or heard any of the gruesome activity.

“It’s certainly a most unfortunate situation. Any act of violence we certainly do not condone and we discourage it – but when things come into your back yard, so to speak, there is more attention given. It’s an unfortunate reminder of the scourge on our island.”

Mr Scott added: “Of course we don’t know the details of what the skirmish was about. But it’s unfortunate that a life was lost and several lives have been changed.

“We just pray the families involved find some form of healing and reconciliation and there would definitely be no retaliation.

“We hope that these sorts of incidents decrease, because we are looking to bring our community together.

“Yes, from time to time we have our disagreements and differences. But we endeavour to bring families together.”

Police said the circumstances of the altercation were unclear, but that one of the men was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with “life-threatening injuries” to which he succumbed.

Local businesses said the confrontation quickly brought a large police presence, with the area of Clyde Best Lane cordoned off while detectives processed the scene.

Police called for the public’s assistance with its investigation into the man’s death, with detectives “particularly interested in speaking with anyone who may have used their mobile phone to record the incident”.

“There were several people in the area at the time as there were football games in progress on the nearby Somerset Cricket Club field,” said a spokesman.

“If you recorded the altercation using your phone or other device, or if you have any information about the incident, we are appealing for you to contact Acting Detective Sergeant Anneka Donawa on 7172250 or by e-mail at adonawa@bps.bm.”