THREE teenagers have been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed in Liverpool city centre.

Police were called to a report that a teenager had suffered a wound under his arm after being assaulted in Campbell Square by another male with a knife at 7.10pm on Wednesday (May 25).

It is believed the victim, who had been travelling into the city on the No. 80 bus, had been involved in a verbal argument with some other boys on the bus.

They all got off the bus on Hanover Street and went their separate ways, but not long after the victim and his friends were approached by the males they had seen on the bus, one of whom had a knife.

The victim received a small stab wound to his arm pit and the offenders ran off.

The victim's injury did not require hospital treatment.

Three boys aged 15, 15 and 17 from Anfield, Litherland and Crosby respectively were located and arrested by officers.

The 15-year-old from Anfield has been arrested on suspicion of Section 47 assault and the other two males, were arrested on suspicion of affray.

A knife believed to have been used in the attack has also been recovered.

Crime scene investigators are carrying out forensic examinations at the scene and officers are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and visiting local businesses.

Police will also be examining CCTV footage from the area to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Detective Inspector Tony Roberts, said: "We are carrying out extensive enquiries after a teenager was stabbed in Liverpool city centre this evening and we are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the attack, or who witnessed an argument between two groups of teenagers on the No 80 bus coming in to town shortly before 7pm.

“We will act on all information reported to us around knife crime, and I want to appeal to anyone with information about knife crime in Merseyside, or this incident in particular, to please get in touch."

"We are committed to working with our partners to deter young people from carrying knives by educating them about the dangers, as well as bringing those involved in knife crime to justice and protecting our communities.

"It is vitally important that we work together with our partners to make the dangers and long-term consequences of carrying or using a knife very clear.

"There is a responsibility on all of us – police, educational establishments, youth groups, and parents and guardians of young people – to make sure young people grow up knowing that the decision to pick up a knife will only bring suffering to the people around them, and is likely lead to them losing their liberty, or being seriously injured or killed."

If you have any information about this incident, DM Merseyside Police via social media desk on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ quoting incident reference 0903 of 25 May.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information.