'They might be your loved ones' - police appeal after teen assaulted and stabbed in Preston
Police have issued an update after a 15-year-old was stabbed in Preston.
The male was wounded in a knife attack in Ingleton Road, Ribbleton, at around 7.20pm. He was taken to hospital but Lancashire Police said his injuries are not life-threatening.
The force introduced stop and search powers in the Grange, Brookfield, Homeslack, Fishwick, and Ribbleton areas of the city in response to the stabbing.
A 40-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of possessing a bladed article in a public place. Lancashire Police said this arrest was not linked to the stabbing, but came as a result of the stop and search powers.
Providing an update and reassurance to members of the public, a spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: “You are probably aware that there have been incidents of disorder in areas of Preston over recent months, including an incident yesterday evening where a 15-year-old boy was stabbed in Ingleton Road.
“Thankfully his injuries were not as serious as they could have been. Enquiries are ongoing to arrest the individual responsible and we have a dedicated team of officers assigned to this case.
“In order to prevent any further incidents of disorder and keep you, the residents of Preston safe, stop and search powers are currently in place in areas of Preston under Section 60 and Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.”
Lancs Police Chief Superintendent Ian Jones is appealing to anyone with information to come forward.
Posting a video appeal earlier today, he said: "You might have noticed that last night we had a Section 60 power in place in Preston, in the Fishwick and Moor Nook areas. Section 60 is a stop and search power that allows us to stop and search people who have been involved, or who we believe might be involved, in disorder or carrying weapons.
"This was as a result of a 15-year-old male who was assaulted by a group of youths using a knife. Unfortunately over the last couple of weeks and months we've seen a growing number of these in the area.”
He added: “We believe this to be a dispute between a number of youths in the Preston area. The people involved are going to be people that you may know, they might be your loved ones, your sons, your grandsons, your nephews, or even just a close friend.
“We urge you to help us, to help you by giving us information on these people and what's happening and why it's happening. I will ensure that we are doing all we can to reassure you and bring these people to justice but also prevent it from happening in the first place by using all our powers, including stop and search and dispersal powers and I don't apologise for using them.
“We are using them to protect yourselves but I need your help to give us more information.”
Anyone with information about the incident on Ingleton Road is asked to call 101 and quote log 1324 of 17th March 2026.