Aberfan stabbing – live: Armed police arrest suspect over ‘attempted murder’ of pregnant woman in south Wales
Schools and nursery have been put into lockdown including Afon Taf High School, Greenfield Special School and nursery Trinity Childcare and Family Centre
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Armed police have arested South Wales after a 29-year-old ‘pregnant’ woman was stabbed, leading to a large scale manhunt.
After several hours, a 28-year-old man from Merthyr Tydfil was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and was escorted into police custody.
Several schools in Aberfan had been placed into lockdown as the force urged people to avoid the area.
Schools closed included Afon Taf High School, Greenfield Special School and nursery Trinity Childcare and Family Centre.
Trinity Childcare and Family Centre, added: “Trinity Childcare and Family Centre Ltd Aberfan are currently in lockdown as a precaution due to an incident within the community. All staff and children are safe.”
Gerald Jones, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, said: “I have spoken to police regarding a serious incident in Aberfan this morning.
“You may see an increased police presence in the area and I’d encourage everyone to co-operate with police officers as they deal with the incident.”
The Welsh village is known for being the site of the Aberfan disaster, when a coal tip on the hillside descended onto several houses and a school in 1966, killing 144 people, 116 of whom were children.
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Major incident in Wales
People are being urged to avoid a village after armed officers were deployed to deal with an assault which has left one in hospital.
Police said officers had responded to an incident in Aberfan, South Wales, where schools and a community centre have closed as a precaution.
One person was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for treatment.
The incident took place on Moy Road and people have been told to avoid the area.
“Emergency services are responding to a serious assault that took place on Moy Road, Aberfan, Merthyr, just before 9.10am this morning,” a South Wales Police spokesman said.
“Armed officers are in the area, and we request that people avoid the area so that we can effectively deal with this incident.”
At least five schools and nurseries on lockdown
At least five schools and nurseries in south Wales are on lockdown, The Independent understands.
The schools include Greenfield Special School, Trinity Child & Family Centre, Ysgol Rhyd Y Grug, Ynysowen Nursery School and Afon Taf High School.
It follows reports of a serious assault in Aberfan.
Trinity Childcare and Family Centre, added: “Trinity Childcare and Family Centre Ltd Aberfan are currently in lockdown as a precaution due to an incident within the community. All staff and children are safe.”
A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman added: “We sent one emergency ambulance, one air ambulance and one Cymru high acuity response unit to the scene where advanced critical care support was delivered by the emergency medical retrieval and transfer service.
“We conveyed one patient by road to University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff for further treatment.”
Greenfield School, a special needs school, said all perimeter gates have been locked and pupils were being kept indoors.
The Trinity Childcare and Family Centre has also locked its doors, with all staff and children safe inside.
The Wellbeing community centre has also said it is closed until further notice.
Local MP has spoken to police about ‘serious incident’ in Aberfan
Gerald Jones, MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, said: “I have spoken to police regarding a serious incident in Aberfan this morning.
“You may see an increased police presence in the area and I’d encourage everyone to co-operate with police officers as they deal with the incident.”
Locals report ‘stabbing’ on social media
Unconfirmed posts on social media from Aberfan locals have reported that armed police have responded to an alleged stabbing, which has caused several schools to be placed on lockdown.
Parents have been told not to collect their children until they have been given the all-clear.
Village is site of former coal tip tragedy
On 21 October, 1966, a coal tip on the hillside above the town of Aberfan in south Wales collapsed, creating a tidal wave of slurry that descended on to houses and a primary school below: 144 people were killed, 116 of whom were children.
Across the world, there was a sense of shock and horror; a disaster fund quickly raised £1.75m to help the community.
Many also wrote letters of sympathy, some 50,000 of which survive today. The writings show how mothers who had lost children in accidents or illness and people from other coal-mining communities felt particularly touched by the Welsh disaster. People with Welsh relatives, backgrounds or even just holiday memories wrote of the warmth of the nation and its people.
Read the full history here
How The Crown portrayed the Aberfan disaster in Wales
The collapse of a colliery spoil tip 55 years ago resulted in the deaths of 144 people
Six schools confirm they are currently on lockdown
Greenfield Special School, Trinity Child & Family Centre, Ysgol Rhyd Y Grug, Ynysowen Nursery School, Afon Taf High School and Abercanaid Community School have all confirmed to The Independent they had locked down on advice of the police.
South Wales Police confirm woman stabbed
A 29-year-old woman has been stabbed in Moy Road, Aberfan, and armed officers are searching for the suspect, who left the scene, South Wales Police have said.
Six schools have confirmed that they remain in lockdown, while a large police presence is currently in the area.
In a statement, the force said: “Local schools have activated their lockdown protocols to keep pupils safe whilst 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.”
Aberfan local says describes Aberfan as a ‘quiet area’
A local living near the scene of a serious assault in a village in Wales has said that “nothing like this has happened here”.
Susan Prothero told the PA news agency that she has lived in Aberfan, South Wales, for 30 years.
“(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.