A teenager suffered horrific injuries after being slashed in the stomach and buttocks inside a pub toilets.
Witnesses said the victim was seen lying on the floor at a taxi rank and described the scene as a "bloodbath" as passers-by desperately tried to issue first aid.
Police were called to Mill Lane at 9.37pm last night after receiving reports that a male had been assaulted and suffered stab wounds in West Derby Village.
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Although it was intially thought the man had been attacked at a taxi rank outside the Sefton Arms, police now believe the vicious assault took place inside the pub toilets.
The 18-year-old victim was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries, including stab wounds to his buttocks and abdomen.
Police said his injuries are not life threatening and his condition is stable.
Detectives are at the scene this morning where a pool of blood - visible in an image below - still sits in the middle of the street.
A witness told the ECHO: "The lad was lying on the floor by the taxi rank and people were standing all around him.
'Stabbing' horror at taxi rank as victim left in pool of blood
"They were holding something to stop the blood, that must have been where he was stabbed.
"He left in an ambulance but I'm not sure how serious it was."
Detective Inspector Sue Hinds said: "We believe this assault actually occurred in the toilets of the Sefton public house and I would appeal to anyone who was in the pub at the time, who witnessed anything, or has any information to contact us.
"The victim is refusing to co-operate with police, but that won't stop us from carrying out a thorough investigation into the assault which is a stark reminder of the serious harm that knives can cause in our communities.
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"We need to ensure that those people who carry and use knives get the message that their actions will not, and cannot be tolerated, and we will continue to do everything we can to educate young people and raise awareness of the harm it can cause to victims, perpetrators, families and communities.
"I want to reassure the community and promise that we will do everything in our power to bring the offenders in this incident to justice.
"We will act on information reported to us through local policing teams or community leaders and urge anyone who knows where knives are being stored, or knows of people who carry knives, to get in touch.
WARNING: Graphic image in the gallery below
"If you have any information at all about this assault, or were passing nearby in a car at about 9pm and have dashcam footage, your account or evidence could be absolutely vital in our investigation, so come forward and we will do the rest.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC. You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 1030 of 12 April, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form here.
