A man has told how he came face to face with a woman wielding a kitchen knife "as long as his arm" in a dramatic police pursuit in Prenton this afternoon.
The woman described as having a 'large kitchen knife' escaped from police on Osborne Road.
According to residents on Osborne Road, multiple police vehicles, dog handlers, and a police helicopter attended the incident.
One police officer sustained minor injuries while trying to detain the woman but did not require hospital treatment.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene on the street just after 1.20pm this afternoon.
The woman is said to have run out into the street brandishing a large kitchen knife and was pursued by police before escaping via an alleyway and climbing over fences.
Speaking to the ECHO, one eyewitness, who was working on a nearby house, told of how he tried to intervene and came face to face with the knife wielding woman.
He said:"She ran out from one of the houses across the road towards me and my instinct was to try and grab her as she came right past me.
"Then I saw she had a big knife that was almost as long as my arm and I put my hands up and stepped away.
"She then ran into an alleyway between some houses. The police tried to grab her but she escaped through the alleyway before they could reach her.
The witness also said that the woman climbed over walls and gardens to escape police via Eaton Road, which runs parallel to Osborne Road.
Earlier a Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that armed police are in Prenton following an incident this afternoon, Monday 30 September.
"At 1.20pm, officers were called to Osborne Road to reports of a woman in possession of a knife. An officer sustained minor injuries in attempts to detain her.
"A search is ongoing for the woman at this time and anyone with information is asked to call 999 immediately."
