A man was seen brandishing a two-foot-long machete amid a violent dispute outside a shopping centre in Merseyside.
Shocked shoppers watched from far as the hooded man was seen on camera talking to another two men near the Superdrug store by the stairs.
The altercation erupted at around 10.50am today outside the Pyramid Shopping Centre in Birkenhead, according to the Liverpool Echo .
Footage captured by a dad-of-five shows the man, dressed in a white t-shirt, shifting his steps with his fists as he talks to the knife-wielding man.
Soon he turns around and walks off.
The father who recorded the violence on his partner's phone, said: "My missus and me had been shopping when this kicked off.
"Trouble started inside the Pyramid and then spiralled outside. We saw one of the lads get chinned."
Merseyside Police are now investigating the incident.
A spokeswoman for the force said: "Officers were called at 10:50am to reports that a number of men were seen arguing in the Birkenhead Pyramids area (Salisbury Street)
"One of the men, dressed in a dark coloured hoodie, was also reported to be in possession of a machete style knife.
"The man is believed to have then made off towards woodlands nearby in the direction of Borough Road.
"Officers are currently in attendance and searching the area but also urge anyone who sees someone acting suspiciously to get in touch @MerPolCC quoting ref:325 of 11/9/19."
The footage was uploaded to Facebook this afternoon.
One man said: "I will make a bet with everyone now that he will be in the paper getting six years and his friends will get three years.
"Knife crime is out of control, why can’t people have a fight anymore?"
