police line

A 13-year-old girl was stabbed and six teenagers were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Humberside Police said the woman was found on the side of the A63 dual carriageway at Hessle at around 7am.

Police said the woman suffered “cuts” on her neck, chest and abdomen and her injuries were “life-threatening”.

Four boys, ages 14, 15, 16 and 17, and two girls, ages 14 and 15, were arrested a short time later in a nearby wooded area.

Det Supt Simon Vickers said he believed the attackers knew the victim, who remains in a critical condition in hospital.

“I understand that this incident will rightly raise concerns among the community and I would like to reassure you that six people are in custody as part of our initial investigation and are being questioned by detectives,” he said.

“We currently believe the attackers knew the victim and investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Det Supt Vickers thanked those who helped the teenager, who was seriously injured on the roadside before emergency services arrived.

The searches were carried out in an area near the Hull Humber View Hotel in North Ferriby, near Hessle.

The force has appealed for anyone with information, particularly those with dashcam or CCTV footage, to contact police.

A cordon has been put up around woodland off Ferriby High Road.

As darkness fell in North Ferriby, around 12 police officers continued to search land near the A63 until approximately 18:00 GMT. This is an area where busy roads intersect and there are forested areas.

The search was carried out in the area between the railway line and the dual carriageway but extended into the surrounding woodland.

Officers went in and out of a nearby hotel; Hull’s Humber View Hotel appears to be a temporary base for those involved in the investigation, which has been active since reports of the stabbing emerged around 12 hours ago.