An 18-year-old man has been arrested following the stabbing of a 10-year-old boy in Bolton.
Police were called to Bridgeman Street in Great Lever at around 1.20pm to reports that the child had been knifed inside a house.
Specially trained officers arrested an 18-year-old on suspicion of section 18 assault. He remains in custody for questioning.
Ambulances rushed to the scene this afternoon and took the child to Manchester Children's Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition, police have confirmed.
It is believed the child will be discharged from hospital later this evening.
Residents on the street have been left in shock, but the police are now assuring the public that the stabbing was an 'isolated incident' posing no wider threat.
A large police presence does however remain in the area as further investigations are carried out.
Detective Superintendent Joanne Rawlinson said: “No child should ever be the victim of such a distressing incident and my thoughts are with this young boy and his family as he receives medical treatment in hospital.
"We are pleased to hear the news that the boy is doing well and that he may be discharged later today. We hope that he makes a full and quick recovery.
“I appreciate that such news is likely to cause upset and shock within the local community, as well as the wider public, but I can assure you that we are doing absolutely everything we can to piece together the circumstances of this incident. In a recent development, specially trained officers have made an arrest of an 18-year-old man who will be questioned by detectives in the coming hours.
“We do believe this to be an isolated incident and at the moment there are several officers in the area conducting enquiries. If members of the local community have any concerns or issues, we would urge them to speak with these officers who are there to help and provide support to anyone who may need it.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 1475 of 11/07/20. Information can also be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
