Two men and a teenage boy were stabbed in an 'unprovoked attack' on Formby Beach, police have said.
Three people were airlifted to hospital at around 7:10pm on Sunday, May 30 after the terrifying and public attack.
Earlier today, Merseyside Police confirmed that a 20-year-old man was in a critical but stable condition. In a further update this afternoon, a police spokesperson said the man is now in a stable condition in hospital.
The two other victims, aged 20 and 16, are described as being in a serious but not life-threatening condition.
One witness told the ECHO they believed 'an axe and a Samurai sword' were used in the attack at the National Trust site - but police have confirmed that the injuries are ‘not consistent’ with an axe having been used.
A spokeswoman for the force said she was unable to issue any clarification on the weapons used at this stage in the investigation.
Images from the scene show that a section of the beach and part of the sand dunes remain cordoned off by police today.
Camping chairs, towels and a football can all be seen inside the cordon, along with discarded cans and bottles.
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Detective Superintendent Mark Baker said: "We believe that this was an unprovoked attack.
"Last night, officers spoke to a large number of people who were leaving the beach to gather vital intelligence. Every piece of information we are given is vital to our investigation, so I'd like to ask anyone who saw what happened to come forward as soon as possible.
"We understand that this shocking event will cause considerable distress to the community in Sefton, and we are working around the clock to identify who was responsible and bring them to justice.
"After many difficult months, it was good to see people out enjoying themselves at the beach yesterday. The fact that three young people have been attacked in this way is truly shocking and disappointing, and our officers will be increasing patrols in the area over the coming days and weeks."
Anyone with information is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 quoting ref. 21000350312 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
