Two policemen were stabbed to death by a drunken villager in southwestern Yunnan Province yesterday morning as they tried to stop him from disturbing others.

The incident took place around 5am in Yiliang County near Kunming, the provincial capital. The attacker, Li Gui, has been arrested.

Children on their way to school discovered the dead bodies of the two officers at about 7am.

Villagers said Li is an alcoholic and often goes crazy after drinking. He broke into his brother's house with a knife at about 4am and the frightened couple alarmed the police.

The couple followed the two officers' advice to run off to avoid the dangerous man and they did not know what happened afterwards.

Villagers said one officer was stabbed in the abdomen and the other in the chest. They were believed fatally wounded and died without getting help in time as the whole village was still in sleep.