Armed police rush to ‘major incident’ in Southport with ‘multiple casualties’ after reports of stabbing

Armed police have been called to been called to a street following reports of a stabbing in Merseyside.

Emergency services were called to Hart Street in Southport at around 12pm earlier today.

Merseyside Police has confirmed that there are a “number of reported casualties.”

Officers confirmed a man has been detained and a knife has been seized after a number of people were injured.

A Merseyside Police statement said: “We can confirm that emergency services are in Southport following a major incident this morning, Monday July 29. 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 staff member at the Bridge Cafe on Hart Street told Liverpool Echo that the entirety of the street is behind a police cordon. They 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.”

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Eyewitnesses living in Maghull, Ainsdale and the surrounding areas have also described seeing and hearing the sirens and police helicopter.

More to come…