The prime minister has condemned the "abhorrent scenes of violence" after a knife attack in Belfast led to the arrest of a man in his 30s.

Sir Keir Starmer called the assault "horrific" and "sickening" and thanked members of the public who intervened.

It comes as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed the arrest of a man in his 30s, who is believed to be Somali, over the attack outside an apartment complex in Kinnaird Avenue, northern Belfast, at around 10.30pm on Monday.

The suspect remains in police custody.

The injured man, aged in his 40s, sustained significant wounds to his face, neck and back. He remains in hospital in a serious condition.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: "Our officers were on the scene within minutes and we wish to acknowledge the members of the public who strived to save the man from further attack. Their willingness to step forward to help another person shows incredible bravery and community spirit."

He added: "This is a deeply concerning assault and I have declared this a critical incident. We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive.

"This brutal attack will have sent shockwaves through the community causing real concern. I want to reassure the local community that we are treating this attack with the utmost seriousness."

ACC Henderson also urged the public not to reshare images or footage of the stabbing which is circulating online.

"Doing so risks causing further trauma to the injured man's loved ones and may impact the ongoing investigation. Our thoughts remain with the victim's family at this deeply distressing time," he said.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or CCTV footage has been urged to contact police.

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