Mass brawl breaks out with 'multiple people stabbed' on busy street

Student saw 'three people taken out on stretchers'

Student Henry Tootal, 20, told local press: "We saw all the police cars and three people being taken out on stretchers and [sic] people have been injured. We saw two people surrounded by armed policemen outside the hotel."

The incident appears to have occurred outside the College's Landsdowne campus in Bournemouth town centre.

Another onlooker, Kirsty Collins, said it was a "shock", saying "you don't expect to go to the shop" and "see all these people walking around looking for things in bushes and bins".

Police search a nearby bin (Max Willcock/BNPS)

Statement from College

A spokeswoman for Bournemouth and Poole College said: "We understand that an incident has occurred outside the Bournemouth Campus of Bournemouth and Poole College this afternoon.
"Police are currently in attendance, and our team is assisting them as required. Due to the incident being a police matter, we are unable to comment further at this point in time."

The College is a large further and higher educational college based across three sites in Bournemouth and Poole with thousands of students.

Bournemouth College has confirmed an incident occurred outside its campus on Thursday (MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Woman saw 'mass brawl' with '10 on each side' fighting

A woman who witnessed the part of the incident said: "I suddenly saw this mass brawl. There were 10 on each side and they were fighting.
"I think they were two groups of college students. I saw one of them lifting another boy's shirt up to check if he had been hurt."
A parent who was outside the college to collect their son said: "It was like a free for all brawl in the road. Never seen scenes like it." Another bystander said: "I came down here because my granddaughter works at the college, and I wanted to check she was OK.
"I've heard three people were carried away on stretchers and there had been stabbings. It happened outside the college."

A brawl involving two groups of about 20 people is said to have broken out at the Bournemouth & Poole College in Bournemouth, Dorset (MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Picture shows busy police scene

Several police cars have been seen at the scene at Bournemouth & Poole College this afternoon, including various ambulances.

A fleet of police cars and ambulances descended on the town centre scene at 2.45pm following reports of a brawl (MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Brawl 'involved 20 people'

A brawl involving two groups of about 20 people is said to have broken out by the Bournemouth & Poole College which has resulted in five people being injured.

A fleet of police cars and ambulances descended on the town centre scene at 2.45pm. They were joined by three air ambulances.

Dorset Police has so far confirmed four people were injured, however the South Western Ambulance Service has said five people were taken to hospital. A witness described seeing three people being carried away by paramedics.

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It is not known how serious the injuries are but one casualty was taken to Southampton Hospital which is a major trauma centre.

(MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Latest statement from ambulance service

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), said: “We were called at 14:54hrs on Thursday 25 January to an incident on Meyrick Road, Bournemouth. We sent five double-crewed ambulances, three air ambulances, and two operations officers. We conveyed four patients by land ambulance to Poole Hospital and one patient by land ambulance to Southampton General Hospital.”

Police and ambulance services at the scene (MaxWillcock/BNPS)

Officers seen searching bins at the scene

Officers have been seen scanning bins around the scene following this evening's incident:

Bins have been searched around the scene (Max Willcock/BNPS)

'Five in hospital and three arrests made' - police

Here's what police have said so far on this emerging incident: "Dorset Police received a report at 2.46pm on Thursday 25 January 2024 of a disturbance in Meyrick Road in Bournemouth. Officers attended the scene and five people were reported to have sustained injuries. All have been taken to hospital for treatment. One of them has sustained injuries that are believed to be serious but not life threatening.

"Two people were arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent. A third person has been arrested on suspicion of assault by beating. Following the initial response of officers at the scene, this matter is now in an investigative phase and a policing presence will remain in the vicinity as further enquiries are conducted and a number of cordons have been put in place.

"Officers can be approached by members of the public with any information or concerns and neighbourhood policing teams will be carrying out reassurance patrols in the area."

Part of town centre cordoned off

A large police cordon has been erected at Lansdowne roundabout in Bournemouth following the incident.