A TEENAGER was stabbed by a 15-year-old boy in Clitheroe.

The victim suffered a cut to his stomach when he was attacked in Greenacre Street at 4.50pm yesterday.

Police said the boy, who was also 15, was taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to be treated.

The police spokesman said: "His injuries are not thought to be life threatening and he is in a stable condition.

"The boys appear to have known each other and there is not a threat to the wider public."

A 15-year-old boy, from Blackburn, has been arrested on suspcion of assault and is in custody.

Nigel Evans, Ribble Valley's MP, raised the incident in the Houses of Commons earlier today.

“I know there’s due to be a debate on knife crime in Westminster Hall next week, but I wonder if the Leader of the House could arrange for a Home Office Minister to make a statement about the repellent rise in knife crime.

"Clitheroe in my constituency in the Ribble Valley must be one of the most idyllic, wonderful towns to live in, and yet last night two youths, one 15-year-old with a knife, stabbed another that he knew.

“The police informed me and we pray that it is not life threatening, but nonetheless, if this can happen in a place like Clitheroe then that really does say we need to do more.

"Whether it’s through the schools, whether it’s through parents, whether it’s through greater police numbers, whether it’s stop and search, whatever it is, all I know is that if we do nothing it is going to rise even further.”

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Responding to Mr Evans' comment, Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the house, said: "We've had several debates in this house recently in last few weeks and quite right we do.

"My honourable friend will be aware the chancellor announced spring statement an extra £100million for a very short term intervention to ensure more police officers through over-time measures could be made available to tackle this.

"We have a serious violence strategy and a serious violence task force, we are bringing in the serious weapons bill to make it harder to get knives.

"We are extending stop and search powers.

"The government is taking action at every level but ultimately we have to look at prevention and that perhaps the most important part the government's commitment so young people are not tempted into a life of knife crime."