Man stabbed outside North Walkden Primary School, Greater Manchester

Police are appealing for information after the man rowed with a couple and was stabbed as parents waited for their children

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A man was stabbed in the chest outside a primary school in Greater Manchester today, as parents waited to collect their children.

The man went into North Walkden Primary School to call for help after the attack at around 3:30pm, police said.

Officers suspect the man was engaged in an argument with a man and a woman outside the school gates in Whittle Drive, Walkden, attended by over 200 pupils, before he was stabbed several times.

The couple drove off from the scene in a silver Vauxhall Corsa.

The man is currently in a stable condition at Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he is receiving treatment for stab wounds.

Detective Inspector Ben Hart said he did not want to speculate on what led to the stabbing.

“We can say that this happened outside a busy primary school as parents were gathered to pick up their children so it would have been a distressing and disturbing thing for people to see.

“I want to reassure them that we are in the early stages of a thorough investigation and we are actively looking for the offenders now. If anyone saw the incident or saw a silver Corsa driving away from the scene then I want to hear from you.

“We have spoken to the school and to the local authority and we are all working to support the school, its children and their parents.”

Bernard Pennington, the school's chair of governors, told BBC News: "It makes me very angry and also very sad to think somebody could do something like this in front of a whole group of children.

"This is a good school and the parents are good parents, this is a one-off which we hope will never be repeated."

Anyone with information is asked to call police in 0161 856 5360 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.