Schools in lockdown as armed police descend on village after stabbing

Armed police are responding after a woman was stabbed in a Welsh village with two schools going into lockdown.

Officers responded to the stabbing, in Moy Road in Aberfan just before 9.10am on Tuesday, South Wales Police said.

The victim was taken to hospital following the incident, which is ongoing with the male suspect still at large

Police have urged people to avoid the area and said armed officers were in attendance.

A South Wales Police spokesman: “South Wales Police were called just before 9.10am this morning with a report that a 29-year-old woman had been stabbed on Moy Road.

“The suspect left the scene immediately after the incident and enquiries are ongoing to find him.”

In a post on Twitter, just after 11am, the headteacher of Greenfield School, which is a special needs school, said all perimeter gates have been locked and pupils are being kept indoors.

Nation.Cymru, a local news website, reported that parents of pupils of Ynysown Primary School in Aberfan were texted: “Due to an incident in the locality school is currently on lock down as a precautionary measure.

“All children are well, we will update parents in due course.

“Please do not call the school as we are keeping the lines free in case police need to call.”

Dawn Bowden, the Senedd member for Merthyr Tydfil, wrote on social media: “I am aware of a serious incident in Aberfan this morning.

“I have spoken to the police and will await further information from them.

“However, please take advice given by the police who will be grateful for your co-operation while this incident is dealt with.”

A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: “We sent one emergency ambulance, one air ambulance and one Cymru High Acuity Response unit to the scene where advanced critical care support was delivered by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service.

“We conveyed one patient by road to University Hospital Of Wales, Cardiff for further treatment.”