CONCERNS have been raised over youths coming to Westhoughton from Bolton to cause trouble – as a teenager fights for his life following a horror stabbing.
A large group of teenagers and young men were seen fighting in the town on Friday night close to the Wheatsheaf pub in Market street at around 9.30pm.
The violence led to one teenager – a 17-year-old – being stabbed. He was left with life threatening injuries.
Police spent much of Saturday at the scene of the disturbance.
Speculation locally was that the knife used in the attack was dumped in a skip close to the Casa Nostra restaurant.
Local councillor David Wilkinson said the issue of yobs coming to the area from elsewhere was raised last year.
He said: "The issue of kids travelling from Bolton to Westhoughton either by train or taxi has been an on and off problem.
"It's really disturbing that someone thinks it's acceptable to use a knife to deal with things
"I can only hope that the young man makes a full recovery.
“We were given assurance at the time that the situation would be monitored but obviously something has gone drastically wrong.
"Many people in Westhoughton have said that there is insufficient policing enabling these youths to meet.
"Tragically it appears these concerns have been proven correct and something has now happened.
“Hopefully the police take a firm response to this incident."
A 19-year-old witness said: “I saw a load of kids fighting in the street. I went over and tried to get them to stop because it was six people attacking one and that’s not right.
“I saw him a few minutes after he’d first been attacked, collapsed in the street.”
Sharon Williams who works at Westhoughton Market was in the area before the incident.
She said: “I was driving through the junction, coming down towards Casa Nostra, I looked at the cemetery as I was parked at the lights, I heard music, there was a gang of kids at yard, playing loud music, gathered together.
“I wondered if someone had died at first, maybe a vigil. But then I looked at the other side and there were about 8 kids outside Casa Nostra, I did think it was a bit weird.
“There must’ve been around 20 lads there. You just wonder what’s going on in lockdown. It made me feel a bit uneasy, you feel something’s not right. I was really sad to hear about what had happened.”
A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers were called around 9.15pm on Friday February 19 to Church Street, Westhoughton following a report of a disturbance and what was believed to be a large group of people fighting.
"Officers attended and enquiries established a large group had gathered at the location and one male, aged 17, had been stabbed.
READ MORE > Westhoughton stabbing updates: Teenager fighting for his life
"He was taken to hospital with injuries that are believed to be life threatening.
"No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 5757 quoting 2882 of 19/02/21.
Alternatively details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
-
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nqnw.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel