Armed officers seize knife after a number of people hurt in ‘major incident’, say Merseyside police
At least eight people, feared to include several children, have been stabbed in Southport, where a man with a knife was arrested.
Merseyside police said they were responding to a “major incident” at a property in the seaside town in north-west England, where there were “a number of reported casualties”.
North West ambulance service (NWAS) said it had treated eight patients with stab injuries who had been taken to Alder Hey children’s hospital, Aintree university hospital and Southport and Formby hospital.
Emergency services were called to reports of a stabbing on Hart Street in Southport at about 11.50am on Monday, where armed police detained a male and seized a knife.
The male has been taken to a police station and there was no wider threat to the public, the force said.
It is believed the venue where the stabbings took place was being used by young children.
While eight injuries have been confirmed so far by NWAS, there were concerns the toll may rise further.
Alder Hey children’s hospital said the trust had declared a “major incident”.
“The trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our emergency department is currently extremely busy,” it said in a statement.
“We ask parents to only bring their children to the emergency department if it is urgent. All other appointments and services are running as normal.”
NWAS said paramedics responded to reports of “multiple stabbings”, and it had dispatched 13 ambulances along with a hazardous area response team (HART), air ambulance and Merit doctors to the scene.
Residents told the Liverpool Echo they heard sirens and an air ambulance landing nearby, with neighbours advising each other to lock their windows and doors.
“It was about 12.20pm, I think, and we heard loads of sirens and then there was a helicopter circling above,” one woman said. “Then the messages started to go around the local WhatsApp groups, saying ‘lock your windows, lock your doors’. We were told a man was running around stabbing people.
“We are all absolutely terrified, panicking and sick with worry – everyone is trying to reach anyone they know in the area. I don’t know how this can happen on a Monday lunchtime.”
Pictures from the scene showed dozens of people crowded around a cordon blocking off most of the street, with many police cars and ambulances.
The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said she was “deeply concerned” about the “very serious incident” in Southport.
“All my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected,” she said. “I have spoken to the Merseyside police and crime commissioner to convey full support to the police and thanks to the emergency services responding.”
Merseyside’s police and crime commissioner, Emily Spurrell, said she was “deeply shocked and concerned about the major incident in Southport”.
“An arrest has been made and there is no wider risk to the public,” she said. “I would urge people to be careful about what they share online and not to speculate about this incident.”
The Southport MP Patrick Hurley said:“I am hoping for the best possible outcomes to the casualties affected. My thoughts go out to all those affected, their loved ones and to the entire community.
“The police have confirmed that an individual involved in the attack has now been detained. I am repeating the advice of the police to avoid the area whilst the police and ambulance teams support this incident.”
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