A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a heavily pregnant woman was stabbed in Aberfan, South Wales.

The 29-year-old woman has been taken to hospital. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Local schools and childcare facilities were placed into lockdown as a precaution.

Aberfan stabbing – follow live

In a statement, South Wales Police said: “Officers have arrested a 28-year-old man from Merthyr on suspicion of attempted murder.

“He is currently in police custody.”

The incident took place on Moy Road just before 9.10am this morning.

Several local facilities – including Greenfield School and The Trinity Childcare and Family Centre – locked down shortly after the police manhunt was launched.

Katie Roberts, who lives near the scene, told Sky News: “I heard some screams this morning. I looked out my window and saw a man on top of a woman.

“I thought he was punching her at first – but then I realised he was stabbing her in the back.

“I ran out of the house immediately after. I ran to her in the street and held towels against her wounds.”

Lynne Terrett, from Merthyr Tydfil, said her daughter, Kira Terrett, was walking her dog near her home when she witnessed the incident.

She said that her daughter looked around after she heard the sound of a woman running towards her.

“The woman fell,” she said.

“My daughter screamed and people came out from everywhere.”

She said the knifeman fled, adding: “If she had not screamed, people would not have gone out.”

Another resident, Susan Prothero, said: “It’s a very quiet area. I have lived here 30 years and nothing like this has happened here.”

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A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson 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.”

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