Bleeding children were seen fleeing a knife attack which has left at least eight injured, one witness has said, while another described “horror movie” scenes close to a Taylor Swift-themed yoga class.

Armed police arrested a man and seized a knife after being called to the “major incident” at a property in Hart Street, Southport, north of Liverpool, at about 11.50am on Monday.

One witness told the PA news agency that he called the police to an address behind The Hart Space studios, where a Taylor Swift-themed yoga class for children in school years two to six, aged between six and 11, was taking place.

Colin Parry, owner of Masters Vehicle Body Repairs, also said he believed that six or seven “young girls” had been stabbed.

He went on: “The mothers are coming here now and screaming.

“It is like a scene from a horror movie.”

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Police in Southport, Merseyside, where a man has been detained and a knife has been seized after a number of people were injured in a reported stabbing (James Speakman/PA)

He added: “Police have got him.

“It’s like something from America, not like sunny Southport.”

Bare Varathan, 35, who owns a corner shop in Hart Street, said he was called by a staff member who told him: “Boss, get to the shop!”

He said: “I saw seven to 10 kids outside the nursery. They were injured, bleeding. They were in the road, running from the nursery.

“They had been stabbed, here, here, here, everywhere. (Mr Varathan indicated the neck, back and chest area)

“They were all aged about 10. One of them was really seriously injured.

“I hope they will be OK. Only two police jeeps and ambulances arrived, then armed police came and took him out of the nursery.

“Somebody told me he had arrived in a taxi and had a knife.”

My daughter was in it and she was traumatised. She ran away and she’s safe

Parent

One resident, who lives in Hart Street but did not want to be named, said he was at home about midday when a woman pulled up outside in her car, screaming.

He said: “She was screaming ‘my daughter’s been stabbed’.

“The woman was in hysterics. Then two police cars rushed up the street the other way.

“It was a mum with her 10-year-old daughter who had been stabbed.

“I helped to get her back up to where the police cars and ambulances were.

“She didn’t look great but my focus was on getting her back up the street to get help.

“When I got back up the street there were a couple of kids on the floor being seen to by paramedics and, as I came back, more police cars were going down and more ambulances gradually started to arrive.”

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Emergency services at the scene on Hart Street, Southport (@ChauffeurWest/PA)

Another local parent said: “My daughter was in it and she was traumatised.

“She ran away and she’s safe.”

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said it had so far treated eight patients with stab injuries, who have been taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby hospital.

Alder Hey declared a major incident and asked parents not to bring their children to the emergency department unless it was urgent.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the incident was “horrendous and deeply shocking”, while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “deeply concerned”.

A large police cordon has been put up around the building in Hart Road, police officers guarding either end.

Officers and vehicles can be seen from a distance inside the cordon, including scenes-of-crime officers in white boiler suits.

A large and growing media presence with reporters, photographers and TV crews assembled at the police tape.

Dozens of police cars, vans, fire engines and ambulances were also assembled a short distance away at a local school.

Merseyside Police said: “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.”

Southport MP Patrick Hurley said he was “deeply concerned” by the reports.

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A police scenes-of-crime officer at the scene in Southport (James Speakman/PA)

NWAS said it had despatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources of its Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart), an air ambulance and doctors.

It said: “We’re assessing the situation and working with emergency partners.”

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital said: “We can confirm that the trust has declared a major incident.

“The trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our emergency department is currently extremely busy.

“We ask parents to only bring their children to the emergency department if it is urgent.

“All other appointments and services are running as normal.”