This is the first picture of Mazhar Ali, who was stabbed and killed in a restaurant on Christmas Eve
A 20-year-old man has been charged with murder after a restaurant worker was allegedly stabbed and killed at a celebrity eatery in Middlesbrough.
Mazhar Ali, 41, died after an incident at Manjaros on the town’s Linthorpe Road at around 3.40pm on Christmas Eve.
Efreeqi Mohamed Siddig, 20, from Middlesbrough, has been charged with murder and carrying an offensive weapon.
He will appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Cleveland Police said.
Mr Ali was taken to James Cook Hospital following the alleged attack but died on Christmas Day.
It is alleged a man was Tasered and arrested in Manjaros after the incident and the restaurant will be closed for the next few days.
The popular African-Caribbean eatery counts the Geordie Shore cast and Tinie Tempah among its most famous clients.
Kait Robertson, 18, who was in the restaurant at the time, told MailOnline: ‘We were eating our dinner and the waitress came over and told us that we all needed to leave.
A 20-year-old chef was Tasered and arrested after the alleged stabbing and diners were forced to flee leaving their food on the tables during the bloodbath at Manjaros in Middlesbrough
A 20-year-old has been arrested in connection with the incident, which took place at 3:40pm yesterday, and he is currently in police custody
‘The police came in after her and told everyone to leave immediately.
‘There was food left on tables and people had only just got their meals but they were urgent about getting us out.
‘When we walked out the police were focused on the alley down the side of the restaurant.
‘We were really confused at first and then a little bit panicked because it must have been serious to evacuate the restaurant and we thought we could still be in danger.
The popular African-Caribbean eatery counts Gordon Ramsay, the Geordie Shore cast and Tinie Tempah among its most famous clients
The restaurant is popular with celebrities including Chloe Khan and Ex On The Beach’s Ashley Cain, pictured left, as well as former boxer Ricky Hatton, pictured right
‘It’s sad that something like this happened on Christmas Eve. A lot of people were very disappointed and shocked.
‘When we were leaving, the staff were all stood in a line blocking us from going anywhere near the kitchen or staff area so we had no choice but to go out the door.’
Others described seeing police vans descending on the scene with one user suggesting that the incident involved ‘fighting with knives’.
The premises will not be open for the next few days while detectives investigate the incident.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.