Three injured in large Liverpool city centre 'disturbance'

The stabbed 21-year-old man was found at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel

Two men have been stabbed and another injured in a "disturbance involving a large group", police have said.

Merseyside Police said a 21-year-old man was found at the junction of Church Street and Whitechapel in Liverpool at about 05:30 GMT.

A second 21-year-old man later "self-presented at hospital" with a stab wound to the back, along with a man, aged 23, who had a head laceration.

Anyone who witnessed the disturbance has been asked to get in touch.

A force representative said the man who was found by officers was in a critical but stable condition, while the full extent of the other men's injuries was not yet known.

They said it was believed two groups of men had come together after leaving The Safehouse nightclub.

Police believe two groups of men came together after leaving The Safehouse nightclub before a "large-scale disturbance"

Supt Helen Bennett said it appeared that a "large disturbance took place on Victoria Street in which three people have been injured".

She said "urgent" CCTV, witness and forensic inquiries were being carried out, a mobile police station was currently in place in Lord Street, and "as such, a large area has been cordoned off".

Appealing for information about what happened, Det Ch Insp Tony Roberts said officers knew there were vehicles and pedestrians in the area of Peter Street who "may have witnessed the disturbance and we would appeal to anyone who was in the area to come forward".

"I would ask taxi and delivery drivers to check their dashcams to see if they captured anything significant and members of the public to come forward if they captured any photographs or video footage on their mobile phones," he added.

Insp David Grant said the order was designed to minimise serious violence

A force representative said a Section 60 order was brought into effect at 15:00 GMT for 24 hours, which gave officers enhanced stop and search powers in the area.

They said it covered Leeds Street, King Edward Street, New Quay, George's Dock Gates, Strand Street, Liver Street, Argyle Street, Lydia Ann Street, Kent Street, Duke Street, Berry Street, Renshaw Street, Lime Street, St Georges Place, St Johns Lane and Byrom Street.

Insp David Grant said the order was designed to minimise serious violence.

He said a "number of measures" were being taken to "disrupt those who would hurt or attack anyone in our community".

"Such violence and the use of any weapons in our city is reckless will not be tolerated," he said.

He added that the order was not about "bothering anyone going about their daily business or preventing young people from meeting with friends", but was aimed at "taking action to reduce violence and make sure that everyone can feel safe where they live".

Bus operator Arriva North West said some of its services had been disrupted by the cordon and passengers should allow extra time for journeys.

The attack was the second stabbing in the area in recent days, after a man suffered leg wounds in an attack on Whitechapel on 23 December.

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