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| Manhunt after woman stabbed in Welsh village of Aberfan | Manhunt after woman stabbed in Welsh village of Aberfan |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Armed officers attend scene, schools locked down and victim in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries | |
| A manhunt is under way after a woman was stabbed in a former mining village in south Wales, triggering an armed response and plunging nearby schools into lockdown. | A manhunt is under way after a woman was stabbed in a former mining village in south Wales, triggering an armed response and plunging nearby schools into lockdown. |
| A 29-year-old woman was taken by ambulance to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the incident in Aberfan, south of Merthyr Tydfil, at about 9.10am. Residents told reporters they believed the woman was pregnant. | |
| South Wales police said armed officers attended the area near Moy Road and the suspect had fled the scene and was being searched for. | South Wales police said armed officers attended the area near Moy Road and the suspect had fled the scene and was being searched for. |
| A statement from the force said: “South Wales police were called just before 9.10 this morning with a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road, Aberfan. The suspect left the scene immediately after the incident and inquiries are ongoing to find him. A search of the immediate area is being carried out by armed officers. | A statement from the force said: “South Wales police were called just before 9.10 this morning with a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road, Aberfan. The suspect left the scene immediately after the incident and inquiries 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 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.” | “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.” |
| Greenfield school said on the social media platform X that it was keeping pupils inside the building and had locked the gates. According to reports, nearby Ynysowen primary school was also in lockdown. | Greenfield school said on the social media platform X that it was keeping pupils inside the building and had locked the gates. According to reports, nearby Ynysowen primary school was also in lockdown. |
| Gareth Jones, a local resident, said of the woman: “She’s not been here for long and was heavily pregnant. She was taking her child to one of the local schools when this man came out of nowhere. It looks like the fellow is still on the loose, there are police everywhere.” | Gareth Jones, a local resident, said of the woman: “She’s not been here for long and was heavily pregnant. She was taking her child to one of the local schools when this man came out of nowhere. 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. | An air ambulance landed on the nearby Taff Trail walking track to take the woman to the University hospital of Wales in Cardiff. |
| Jones, 64, said: “Another police helicopter was hovering above the village and the street has been cordoned off. You can see the pillow and blankets that people gave the women to keep her comfortable until an ambulance arrived.” | Jones, 64, said: “Another police helicopter was hovering above the village and the street has been cordoned off. You can see the pillow and blankets that people gave the women to keep her comfortable until an ambulance arrived.” |
| The attack happened half a mile from the scene of the 1966 Aberfan disaster, in which 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a colliery tip collapsed on to the village school. | The attack happened half a mile from the scene of the 1966 Aberfan disaster, in which 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a colliery tip collapsed on to the village school. |
| Jones, one of the few children to survive the catastrophe, said: “The air ambulance landed behind the Aberfan disaster memorial gardens. This is the most police activity we’ve had in the village since that dreadful day. There are forensic officers in white suits at the spot where she was attacked. Everyone is just praying the woman is going to be OK.” | Jones, one of the few children to survive the catastrophe, said: “The air ambulance landed behind the Aberfan disaster memorial gardens. This is the most police activity we’ve had in the village since that dreadful day. There are forensic officers in white suits at the spot where she was attacked. Everyone is just praying the woman is going to be OK.” |
| Veterinary nurse Katie Roberts, 31, who was one of the first on the scene, said: “I was at home when I heard screaming and thought it was kids messing about. | Veterinary nurse Katie Roberts, 31, who was one of the first on the scene, said: “I was at home when I heard screaming and thought it was kids messing about. |
| “But I looked out of the window and saw a man with a large knife in his hand standing over a woman on the road outside. He was stabbing her in the back and when I and other neighbours ran outside he ran off.” | “But I looked out of the window and saw a man with a large knife in his hand standing over a woman on the road outside. He was stabbing her in the back and when I and other neighbours ran outside he ran off.” |
| Roberts said the woman was still conscious but bleeding quite badly from multiple stab wounds. She said: “She was very brave and worried about her baby – she is 37 weeks pregnant. | Roberts said the woman was still conscious but bleeding quite badly from multiple stab wounds. She said: “She was very brave and worried about her baby – she is 37 weeks pregnant. |
| “It was shocking, another neighbour dialled 999 and the police were here quickly. I’m just hoping she is going to be alright.” | “It was shocking, another neighbour dialled 999 and the police were here quickly. I’m just hoping she is going to be alright.” |
| Other neighbours ran out with blankets and pillows to make the woman comfortable until emergency services arrived. | Other neighbours ran out with blankets and pillows to make the woman comfortable until emergency services arrived. |
| The Welsh ambulance service said: “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.” | The Welsh ambulance service said: “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.” |
| Local reports said text messages had been sent to parents of pupils of Ynysowen primary school, less than half a mile from Moy Road, that said the school was locked down “as a precautionary measure. All children are well, we will update parents in due course.” | Local reports said text messages had been sent to parents of pupils of Ynysowen primary school, less than half a mile from Moy Road, that said the school was locked down “as a precautionary measure. All children are well, we will update parents in due course.” |
| Rhiannon Davies, the headteacher of Greenfield school, which is 2.5 miles away from Moy Road, posted on X: “We are aware of an ongoing police incident in Aberfan. 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.” | Rhiannon Davies, the headteacher of Greenfield school, which is 2.5 miles away from Moy Road, posted on X: “We are aware of an ongoing police incident in Aberfan. 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.” |
| The Trinity childcare and family centre also locked its doors, with all staff and children said to be safe inside. | The Trinity childcare and family centre also locked its doors, with all staff and children said to be safe inside. |