That's the claim of one onlooker who witnessed scores of police and ambulance staff tend to Carl, Danny and Kevin Wright minutes after they were stabbed.

Andy Mercer was among the mass crowd who gathered in Church Street
immediately after the incident on Monday morning.

He said: "I have never seen so many police and people in one location ever. The street was a sea of blue lights and the pavement was thick with onlookers.

"The atmosphere was very emotionally charged, close to boiling point in fact. There were young girls screaming as if they were in immense pain and groups of lads fighting amongst themselves.

"The police looked worried and they had to call in officers with dogs to stamp their authority over the place."

Mr. Mercer added that it took a 'long time' for the crowd to disperse after the three victims were taken to hospital.

"More people kept coming along from the town centre bars and clubs and the police struggled to keep the crowd away from the crime scene," he added.

"Initially people must have been pretty confused about what was happening but as word slowly got round the atmosphere turned again.

"After what seemed a very long time people slowly began to disperse but everyone was clearly still in shock. To hear that a young man has died is just such a sad sad thing."

Another onlooker, who asked not to be named, said: "We got there as the police tape was being put up. There were people and police everywhere and it was mayhem.

"I could see a lot of blood and everyone was in shock, shouting and
crying. The police did a good job to seal off the scene very quickly."