One man was feared dead and several others left fighting for their lives today after a knifeman went on the rampage at a Chinese takeaway.
Eye witnesses said the village restaurant was ‘covered in blood’ and more than 30 emergency vehicles were at the scene after a family feud erupted.
The victims were flown to hospital by air ambulance and police confirmed they were dealing with a multiple stabbing incident.
Screams were heard coming from the Blue Sky Chinese takeaway shortly after midday in the village of Ynyswen, Rhondda, South Wales.
Neighbour John Belgrove 46, said: ‘I was in my workshop when I heard sirens and saw police everywhere.
‘There was a Chinese girl sitting on a pavement – she was in her pyjamas and they were covered in blood. I could see she was sobbing and in a terrible state.
‘I helped the police block off the road, I heard them say that one person was dead and several others badly hurt.’
Pictured: A huge emergency response is underway in south Wales as police deal with a ‘major incident’ involving a ‘number of casualties’ in Baglan Street near Rhondda this afternoon
Builder Mr Belgrove said he believed the casualties were Chinese and had worked at the takeaway in Baglan Street – which was sealed off by police – for the last three years.
He said: ‘The restaurant owners haven’t been there very long – they did a swap with another Chinese restaurant nearby called Yummy Yummy.
‘As far as I know there is a connection between the two businesses.
‘It’s shocking, it’s such a quiet village. I counted 31 emergency vehicles here and two air ambulances.’
One of the victims was a woman who was sitting in a black car parked outside the restaurant, a witness claimed.
Police put a cordon of white security screens around the takeaway which has a three-bedroom flat above the shop area
Mother-of-two Kirby England, 29, who lives opposite told how a paramedic had to reach into the car to get her out.
She said: ‘He laid her on the floor and was giving her CPR – I could see him doing the pumping actions on her chest.
‘Other paramedics joined him while the police blocked off the road from both ends.
‘It didn’t look very good for the woman – they put screens around her and I didn’t see her being taken away.
‘A Chinese man was taken out of the shop – I think he’d been stabbed. They put him on a stretcher. I think there were others.’
Mrs England said she had lived in the street opposite all her life and there had never been any trouble at the restaurant.
Detectives worked with forensic officers and police outside the restaurant this afternoon
The restaurant is run by parents with their two children also living above the shop and is rated 62 out of 74 restaurants in the Treorchy area of the Rhondda valleys. Pictured, officers at the scene earlier today
She said: ‘It was scary. there were armed police and all the emergency workers were kitted out for a major incident.
‘There is a Chinese lady who works in the takeaway taking orders but I couldn’t see if it was her in the car. It’s dreadful.’
Police put a cordon of white security screens around the takeaway which has a three-bedroom flat above the shop area.
The air ambulances landed on a nearby rugby field to take two casualties to hospital. Locals said they saw two more ambulances going by road to the University Hospital of Wales 20 miles away in Cardiff.
The restaurant is run by parents with their two children also living above the shop and is rated 62 out of 74 restaurants in the Treorchy area of the Rhondda valleys.
Fellow neighbour Mavis Wakeford said: ‘It is very serious. The police have stopped me going out the back and told me to stay inside.
At about midday, South Wales police closed off the road and several police cars are still parked in the village
‘You don’t expect anything like this to happen here – it is a quiet place. They seem like a nice family and close – but I don’t know them very well.’
Neighbour, John Evans, 70, said: ‘There was a lot of blood at the scene, it was a major incident with multiple victims.
‘This is normally a quiet village I don’t know what’s happened to cause this.’
A resident in the area said: ‘I live in the street, it was about half past 12 on my way to meet my friend.
‘As I come around the corner there was loads of sirens getting passed and I saw four police at the bottom with guns telling people they couldn’t come down the hill.
‘They were saying can you get back. Then a couple of minutes later I saw someone getting stretchered off into the back of an ambulance literally outside the Chinese by the hill.’
The nature of incident is not known at this stage but police have confirmed there are casualties
Another neighbour said: ‘A woman was heard screaming but I don’t think she was one of the injured.
‘She saw what happened which must have been awful. There was a lot of blood.’
Another added: ‘Rumours are rife. We’ve heard that somebody was strangled and somebody else was stabbed.
‘It is very serious whatever has happened. It is a decent takeaway and they seem like nice people.’
At about midday, South Wales police closed off the road and several police cars are still parked in the village.
Witnesses also reported that the air ambulance landed on nearby Baglan Field, beside Penyrenglyn Primary School.
Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said: ‘I have been informed that the incident in Ynyswen is a major incident.
‘The emergency services will be in attendance for a very long period of time. Please do avoid the area. I sincerely hope nobody is extremely hurt.’
South Wales Police said they were dealing with a ‘serious incident’ which involved a ‘number of casualties’
A force spokesman said: ‘Police units are currently dealing with a serious incident which occurred in Baglan Street, Treorchy, at approximately midday today.
Pictures from the scene show a huge emergency service response with at least 20 vehicles
The street has been closed off and police have asked people to avoid the area where possible
Welsh Ambulance Trust confirmed one rapid response vehicle, three emergency ambulances and the air ambulance were sent to the scene but it is unclear how many casualties there are
‘Ambulance crews are also in attendance as the incident involves a number of casualties.
‘The street has been closed off and people are advised to avoid the area until further notice.’
Armed police were called to the scene and witnesses reported one person being carried out of the restaurant on a stretcher.
The Welsh Ambulance Trust confirmed they sent one rapid response vehicle, three emergency ambulances and the air ambulance to the scene but they have been unable to confirm how many casualties were taken to hospital.
Resident Linsey Simmonds said: ‘I was coming past the Baglan Field and saw the Air Ambulance land there, and in the past 20 minutes there’s been up to 30 police and ambulance vehicles.
‘You can’t walk past there or drive up the valley.’
A white forensic tent has been set up at the scene this afternoon which remains cordoned off by police.
This is a breaking news story. We will bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
MailOnline has contacted South Wales Police for more information.