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‘THIS IS REALLY OUT OF THE ORDINARY, IT’S UNHEARD OF’ 16:56, 09 Dec 2023 Residents on a quiet Salford street woke up to the sight of police tape blocking their local leisure centre this

morning (Saturday). Normally a place for children's birthday parties and swimming lessons, Irlam and Cadishead Leisure Centre on Liverpool Road in Irlam had become the centre of a crime

scene. While many residents slept, officers descended on the centre’s car park at around 6.15am after receiving reports of a stabbing. There they found a male victim with a cut to his leg.

He was rushed to hospital and treated for injuries described as 'superficial'. READ MORE: FAMILY'S DESPERATE PLEA FOR HELP WITH GRANDAD, 70, MISSING FOR FOUR DAYS IN GREATER

MANCHESTER READ MORE: FLOODING HITS ALDI WITH STREETS UNDER WATER AS RAIN BATTERS GREATER MANCHESTER Another man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and remains in custody for

questioning. Ages of the men are yet to be confirmed. One resident who was woken by the police’s arrival was the former landlord of the nearby pub The Ship. The ex-landlord, who did not give

his name, said he was woken up at around 6am to blue ‘flashing lights’ coming through the bedroom window of his home on Liverpool Road. “I saw all the lights flashing through my curtains. I

looked out and all the police were out there. There were four police cars and an ambulance,” he said. Around an hour later he saw a police cordon had been put in place and the leisure

centre had been taped off with customers being ‘turned away’. It's understood the facility was closed until 11am this morning, when staff confirmed it had reopened. He said he initially

thought someone had broken into the centre or there had been a mugging at the parcel drop off location outside. “I saw a policeman with his torch walking down there and looking across the

grass,” he said pointing to the entrance of the leisure centre. The ex-landlord said he was not shocked to hear a stabbing had taken place in the area, saying he is used to crime due to his

former work, but said the reported stabbing would make pubs in the area ‘more wary’ and put them ‘on the back foot’. However, several of his neighbours on Liverpool Road said they were

shocked by the incident with many saying they had moved to the area for a quieter life. One resident said she heard ‘shouting’ at around 6am followed by sirens but was not initially

concerned. “We got up at about 7 o’clock and had a look out and thought: ‘oh this was obviously something a bit more serious than we thought’. It’s a shame really because it’s a nice area.

I’m shocked because one of the reasons I like Irlam is because there’s such a good community.” Echoing her comments, her neighbour said: “It’s a really nice area. Really quiet, no issues, no

problems. People take care of the area. This is really out of the ordinary, it’s unheard of. Just to see the police is strange. It would be a shame to see the area go downhill.” Another

resident , who has lived in the area her whole life, added: “It’s scary. I feel a bit sick. “I saw two police cars go flying past at around 6am and then I saw an ambulance but I thought it

had just carried on. I didn't realise it was there at the leisure centre.” In a statement, GMP described the incident as 'isolated' and is moving to reassure members of the

public. "At approximately 6.15am on Saturday 9 December 2023, police attended a report of a stabbing that occurred in the car park of Irlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool Road," the

force said. Article continues below "On arrival officers found the male victim with a cut to his leg and he has been treated at hospital for superficial injuries. Another male was

arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and remains in custody for questioning."