A local business owner described the incident as resembling a "scene from a horror movie."
Armed police have detained a man and confiscated a knife following a series of stabbings near Liverpool that left multiple people injured.
Emergency services responded to the "major incident" at a property on Hart Street, Southport, around 11:50 AM.
The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) reported treating eight individuals with stab wounds. The victims have been transported to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Aintree University Hospital, and Southport and Formby Hospital.
Merseyside Police stated: “Several casualties have been reported, and further details will be confirmed as soon as possible. Armed police have detained a suspect and seized a knife. The individual is now in custody at a police station. Please avoid the area while we address this situation. There is no broader threat to the public.”
NWAS dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialized units from its Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), an air ambulance, and medical personnel. The service remarked: “We are assessing the situation and coordinating with emergency partners.”
Colin Parry, the owner of Masters Vehicle Body Repairs on Hart Street and one of the individuals who called the police, described the scene as akin to a "horror movie."
He reported that he believed six or seven "young girls" were among those stabbed and added: “The mothers are arriving here and screaming. It’s like something out of America, not like sunny Southport.”