Armed police swarm street after multiple people hurt in stabbing

In a new statement, a spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service said: ‘North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is responding to a major incident following a call at 11:48am to Hart Street in Southport following reports of multiple stabbings.

‘We have dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), Air Ambulance and Merit Doctors to the scene.

‘So far, NWAS has treated eight patients with stab injuries who have been taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby hospital.’

Eyewitnesses in the area have told the Echo that the entirety of Hart Street is currently behind a police cordon.

Traffic data from Google also shows that the road is completely closed off.

The owner of the Bridge Cafe said: ‘Police haven’t spoken to us, but we heard that nobody is to go inside that building. Police are around 200m down the road from us. They’ve closed the entire road now.’

Eyewitnesses on the road have talked to the Liverpool Echo about what they saw and heard.

A woman said: ‘It was about 20 past 12 I think and we heard loads of sirens and then there was a helicopter circling above.

‘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.’

The woman said she ran down the street telling her neighbours to lock their doors and windows and that one of her neighbours had ‘barricaded’ herself and her kids in their bedroom.

A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service said: ‘We’re attending a major incident on Hart Street, Southport, following reports of multiple stabbings in which we have dispatched multiple resources.

‘We’re assessing the situation and working with emergency partners.’

Merseyside Police said in a statement: ‘We can confirm that emergency services are in Southport following a major incident this morning, Monday 29 July.

‘At around 11.50am, we were called to a property on Hart Street to reports of a stabbing.

‘There are a number of reported casualties and more details will be confirmed when possible.

‘Armed police have detained a male and seized a knife. He has been taken to a police station.

‘Please avoid the area while we deal with this incident. There is no wider threat to the public.’

A worker at the Bridge Café on the road told Metro: ‘I’ve been told that a man went into a Yoga studio and stabbed a number of really young children.

‘I’ve got no idea why anyone would do this, or why someone would do this.

‘I feel sick, there was a class on apparently and he just walked in with a knife.

‘You hear about these things happening in America but you just never ever think that something like this would happen in this country.’

A ‘critical incident’ has been declared in Southport, Merseyside, and police have confirmed there has been a number of casualties.

Emergency services are responding to the incident in Hart Street, Southport, and were called at 12pm today, as a ‘critical incident’ has been declared.

Photos of the road show police cars, fire engines, and people outside a pub and there are reports that residents have ‘locked doors and windows’.

A police helicopter is also circling above the area.