A TEENAGE boy and a woman in her 60s were injured after a knife attack by youths in the town centre.
The terrifying incident happened in broad daylight in front of shocked shoppers in Canal Walk this afternoon.
The boy was taken to hospital with a suspected knife wound after being set upon by a number of youths. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
RECAP: Police race to scene of town centre stabbing
A woman in her 60s was also caught up in the incident and suffered minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment.
Police were alerted after hearing about an altercation between two groups outside Foot Asylum in The Parade at 3.30pm. The victim was then chased to nearby JD Sports, where he was stabbed.
Witnesses reported hearing screaming and then seeing six police cars and an ambulance appear at the scene.
One man was standing across the street when he heard screams.
He said: “It’s absolutely awful. I just heard screams and then sirens.
“It’s happened right between Christmas and new year which is unbelievable.”
A woman added: “It’s horrible that it’s come to this. It’s so scary that things like this are going on in the middle of the day in the middle of town.”
Another said: “I just really hope that they’re all OK. It’s absolutely dreadful and it was in broad daylight.”
Around an hour after the incident occurred, staff at JD Sports were seen standing outside the shop pointing out areas to police.
Officers taped a cordon inside the store and an area outside in the middle of the street parallel to EE, Three and JD Sports.
Benches and trees were within the taped off area but the entrance to JD Sports was not incorporated.
Canal Walk was fairly busy just an hour after the incident as shoppers headed home with their post-Christmas bargains.
People slowed down when when they saw the tape and police presence to ask officers and other shoppers about what had happened there.
There was a sense of fear and shock that such an incident could have occurred in the middle of the day.
Some shops on Canal Walk closed early while others remained open despite all that had gone on outside their shop windows.
Police are now appealing for witnesses to the assault and would especially like to hear from anyone who may have recorded footage of this incident.
Anyone with information should call police on 101.
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