'Heavily pregnant' woman attacked in street as suspect arrested - updates

RECAP: What we know so far about the Aberfan stabbing

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 29-year-old woman - reportedly pregnant - was stabbed in a village in South Wales.

Armed police searched for the suspect after the woman was attacked in Moy Road, Aberfan, at about 9.10am on Tuesday.

South Wales Police said they arrested a man from Merthyr on suspicion of attempted murder and held him in custody.

Residents shared their horror at the attack, which led to the lockdown of schools.

Resident has never seen anything like this happen in Aberfan

Susan Prothero, who has lived in Aberfan for 30 years, said she has never experienced a tragedy like this one on her doorstep.

She said: "(It's) a very quiet area.

"I have lived here 30 years and nothing like this has happened here."

Residents in Aberfan share their shock

Lynette Tyner, 51, said she was walking along Wyndham Street in Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil, to visit a friend when she saw armed police enter a terraced house in the road.

Police have not confirmed the incident is linked to the stabbing in nearby Aberfan earlier on Tuesday.

"The police vehicles went up the street and they just went into the house like a tonne of bricks," she said.

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"We haven't seen them bring any weapon out."

The grandmother said officers were in the property for around half an hour before they brought out a man in handcuffs and placed him in a marked police wagon.

"It must have been him because he was in all black," she said.

"He came out quiet and he had a black hoodie on and he didn't have any trainers on - he was barefoot.

"He was handcuffed. He had a hoodie over his face to cover his face.

"He was calm."

The scene on Moy Road in the village of Aberfan is pictured (PA)

Chief Inspector Rob Miles's statement in full

Chief Inspector Rob Miles said the incident was believed to be a targeted attack. “I appreciate that there will be a real sense of shock within the local community with the attack having happened in broad daylight," he said. “I would like to reassurance the public that we believe this to be a targeted attack.

“There will be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days to provide reassurance to local residents and the wider community. I would like to thank the local community for their patience and support throughout today’s police operation whilst we traced and arrested the suspect.”

Update on the injured woman's condition

The victim remains in hospital with non life-threatening injuries, police confirmed in the press briefing.

The suspect, from Merthyr Tydfil, is currently in police custody.

But officers recognise the stabbing has caused is "a real sense of shock to the community" in Aberfan.

Chief Inspector Miles continues to talk to the media

Chief Inspector Miles said: "I appreciate there will be a real sense of shock to the community where the attack happened in broad daylight."

He has described the stabbing as a "targeted attack". The arrested man is known to the victim, who remains in hospital with injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.

Officers ensured that school pupils could leave safely and at the usual time, the officer added.

The suspect is known to the victim, police say

Chief Inspector Rob Miles, of South Wales Police, is currently giving an update on the stabbing in Aberfan.

His key points include;

• He says a 28-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder;
• The man is known to the victim and in police custody;
• Neighbourhood officers have been in the area;
• Schools will open tomorrow as normal;

The Mirror will share the full statement shortly

Police press conference shortly

South Wales Police will hold a conference shortly following the earlier arrest of a man on suspicion of attempted murder. The conference should begin at around 5.30pm. The force said Chief Inspector Rob Miles will read a statement outside Merthyr Tydfil Police Station.

Armed Police speak to a man outside a property (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

Pictured: The scene of the arrest

Armed police at the scene of the arrest on Wyndham Street in Troedyrhiw (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

South Wales Police confirm man, 28, was arrested

A statement from South Wales Police said this afternoon: "Following a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road, Aberfan, Merthyr earlier this morning, officers have arrested a 28-year-old man from Merthyr on suspicion of attempted murder.

"He is currently in police custody."

Pictured: Man being taken away by police

A man was arrested by South Wales Police this afternoon (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

Man taken away by armed police

A man has been arrested after a 29-year-old woman was stabbed while taking her children to school this morning.

A video filmed by The Mirror at the scene shows armed police outside a home. You can watch the video here.

Greenfield Special School lifts lockdown

Greenfield Special School has confirmed it is no longer in lockdown after police advised schools in the area to close their doors.

Headteacher Rhiannon Stephens Davies said normal procedures are returning, but a Christmas event organised for this evening has been postponed until tomorrow.

The school's headteacher said in a statement to parents and carers: "I can now confirm that we are not in lock down and are resuming our normal procedures.

"However, we have decided to postpone our Christmas Fayre until tomorrow evening.

"The Christmas Fayre will now be on Wednesday 6th of December at 4pm. If you have any queries please contact the school."

Pictured: The scene of the incident

The scene on Moy Road in the village of Aberfan, Merthyr, South Wales (PA)

Mum says daughter's 'screams' alerted neighbours to the attack

A mother has said that her daughter's scream alerted neighbours to the stabbing of a "pregnant" 29-year-old woman.

Lynne Terrett, from Merthyr Tydfil, said that her daughter, Kira Terrett, was walking her dog near her home in Aberfan when she witnessed the incident.

She said that her daughter looked around after she heard the sound of the woman running towards her. "(The woman) fell," she said. "My daughter screamed, and people came out from everywhere."

She said that man who stabbed the woman then fled the scene "If she had not screamed, people would not have gone out," she said. She added that her daughter was "very shook up" following the incident, and said that the victim was pregnant.

Locals say victim was 'heavily pregnant'

Villagers in Aberfan have said the woman who was attacked is 'heavily pregnant'.

One local mother said: "We heard that all hell broke loose. She is heavily pregnant, maybe seven or eight months and she was taking one of her kids to school. There are police everywhere and we heard the guy got away."

Another resident, Susan Prothero, said that she has lived in Aberfan for 30 years and was shocked by the incident. “(It’s) a very quiet area,” she said.

“I have lived here 30 years and nothing like this has happened here.” She added that all she knew about the incident was that the woman had been taken to hospital.

Witness said suspect 'nearly knocked her over'

One local who lives on the road where the incident happened told Sky News she saw the suspect in the aftermath of the incident.

Pauline Hopkins, who lives on Moy Road, said: "I saw the gentleman in question when I came up to collect my dog to go down the school. He was standing on the corner of that street. I went down to the school, came back with the dog, walked up the steps. With that, he came running around the corner and nearly knocked me over."

Mrs Hopkins said she felt "shocked" when she heard what had happened and the victim had moved to the house around a fortnight ago.

"You hear about it in other places but when it's on your doorstep, it's different, isn't it?"

'Everyone's thoughts are with that community', says Welsh Tory leader

Speaking in the Senedd plenary today, Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies says: "I’d like to send my thoughts to the community of Aberfan which is going through an incident at the moment. I’ll go no further as it’s unfolding as we speak but I’m sure everyone’s thoughts are with that community."

First Minister Mark Drakefore responded, saying: "Can I echo what the leader of the opposition is saying about events unfolding in Aberfan. I was grateful to the briefing I received from Dawn Bowden, the constituency MS, about the events continue to unfold. For the moment our thoughts with people caught up in them and there will be more, no doubt, that we will learn."

Neighbour saw woman get 'repeatedly stabbed'

A woman who lives near where the horror incident occurred told Sky News she heard "screaming" before seeing the woman "being stabbed repeatedly."

Katie Roberts said: "When I looked in the window, I could see her getting stabbed repeatedly, and I just darted out of the house then with towels and [the suspect] ran off. My partner saw the suspect loitering outside our house for like half an hour beforehand."

'Close-knit community' rocked by stabbing

Aberfan is a “close-knit community” that will have “serious concern” following the stabbing of a 29-year-old woman, the MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney has said

Labour MP Gerald Jones told Sky News on Tuesday: “Aberfan is a very close knit, tight community.

“The community centre and the schools are very close by, hence the reason why police are keen for people not to go to the area.

“The community centre has closed its doors for the moment, and the schools have locked down as well because they are in very close proximity to Moy Road.

“The community, as I said, is a very tight-knit community so there is, undoubtedly, serious concern within the community.”

He added that he had been assured by police that they were dealing with the incident “as quickly and effectively as they can”.

Everything we know so far

Armed police officers fled to the scene of a "serious assault" around 9am this morning in Aberfan, Wales after a pregnant woman was reportedly stabbed.

Several nearby schools and childcare settings are in lockdown and people have been asked to avoid the area as the knifeman is still on the loose. South Wales police said armed officers were searching for a male suspect.

Police have confirmed that the victim is a 29-year-old woman who has been taken to hospital and her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. They have not confirmed wether she is pregnant or not.

Police urged residents of the village, which has a population of about 2,500, to avoid the area. The nearby Greenfield School told parents that it had shut children inside for their safety. The school said: "We just wanted to reassure you that as a precaution we are keeping the pupils safe inside the building and all perimeter gates are locked."

'Major incident' sees 'woman stabbed in street as she took her child to school'

A woman has reportedly been stabbed in the street as she took her child to school in what is believed to be a domestic abuse revenge attack.

Armed police swooped on the village of Aberfan, South Wales, shortly after 9am today after the woman was found in a pool of blood on the pavement.

Neighbours ran into the street with pillows and blankets while emergency services arrived. The knifeman fled the scene and three local schools and a community centre were put on lockdown after what police described as a “serious assault”.

Locals said the woman, believed to be "heavily pregnant", had moved to the village recently after being involved in a domestic abuse case in England. Villager Gareth Jones said: “She’s not been here for long and was heavily pregnant - not far from giving birth

“She was taking her child to one of the local schools when this man came out of nowhere and stabbed her in the street. It looks like the fellow is still on the loose, there are police everywhere.”

An air ambulance landed on the nearby Taff Trail walking track to take the woman to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Mr Jones, 64, said: “Another police helicopter was hovering above the village and the street has been cordoned off.

Read more from on the ground here

Knifeman still on the loose, police say

South Wales Police have just updated us that the knifeman is still on the loose after he stabbed a 29-year-old woman.

A statement read: "South Wales Police were called just before 9.10am this morning with a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road.

"The suspect left the scene immediately after the incident and enquiries are ongoing to find him. A search of the immediate area is being carried out by armed officers.

"Local schools have activated their lockdown protocols to keep pupils safe while the incident is ongoing.

"We continue to request that people avoid the area so that we can effectively deal with this incident.

"The woman has been taken to hospital with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening at this time."

More pictures from the scene

More photos taken from the police cordon on Coronation Place, which connects to Moy Road are coming in.

Forensic officers take away evidence bags on Moy Road in Aberfan (Rob Browne/WalesOnline)

Villagers say today's incident is unprecedented

Today's incident is unprecedented for locals in the usually sleepy village.

A local living near the scene of a serious assault in a village in Wales has said that "nothing like this has happened here" for years.

Susan Prothero told the PA news agency that she has lived in Aberfan, South Wales, for 30 years. She said: "[It’s] a very quiet area. I have lived here 30 years and nothing like this has happened here."

She added that all she knew about the incident was that a woman had been taken to hospital.

Dad witnessed mass police response

A Dad with a child at one of the affected schools has spoken about the police response he witnessed.

Dafydd Price has a child at Ynysowen Primary School and told Nation.Cymru: "I came back from the school run this morning and saw about five police cars and ambulances race past my house. I went outside and there was a helicopter overhead.

"I watched it fly down the valley toward the school and it hovered there for a while. I left the house straight away and walked down the street to see what was going on.

"There were people gathered by the shop in Merthyr Vale talking about the helicopter. Armed police came up the hill and went down to the train station. I wanted to go straight to the school to pick up my daughter but I got a text message from the head teacher telling parents to stay away."

Where is Aberfan?

Aberfan is a small village in the county of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. It is around 20 miles north of Cardiff, in the Taff Valley, with the river running through the village itself.

The village is sadly no stranger to disaster as the worst mining-related disaster in British history took place there on 21 October 1966. A horror landslide of coal waste crashed into the small village and caused widespread death and devastation.

In total, 144 lives were lost, 116 of them children aged mostly between seven and ten who died in their classrooms on the last day before half term. One hundred and nine perished in the junior school. Of the 28 adults who died, five were primary school teachers.

Incident still ongoing but little information available

The incident is still ongoing, South Wales Police has said, but there is little information about what is going on. The force has said they will release further information soon and we will share it as soon as we get it.

A spokesperson for South Wales Police told The Mirror: "Emergency services are responding to [a] serious assault that took place on Moy Road, Aberfan, Merthyr just before 9.10am this morning. Armed officers are in the area, and we request that people avoid the area so that we can effectively deal with this incident."

Photos from the scene

Photos from the scene show a heavy police presence and officers cordoning off Coronation Place, which connects to Moy Road.

Police cordon and van at Moy Road in Aberfan (Rob Browne/WalesOnline)

What schools have been put in lockdown

The Mirror understand these are the schools that have been put in lockdown:

• Ynysowen Primary School
• Greenfield School
• Afon Taf High School

Additionally these centres have been put in lockdown:

• Wellbeing@Merthyr
• Trinity Childcare and Family Centre Ltd