Stoke-on-Trent live: Police swarm city centre as bystanders told "avoid the area"

Stoke-on-Trent live: Police swarm city centre as bystanders told "avoid the area" Emergency services have descended upon a busy street in Stoke-on-Trent as bystanders have been warned to "avoid the area." Two air ambulances have joined police and paramedics at the scene on The Strand, Longton, with a third believed to be on the way. An eyewitness reported: "Something has happened in Longton. The Strand is shut off and an air ambulance has just landed." The news comes following unconfirmed reports of a double stabbing at a Tesco in Longford. Key Events In a short social media post, Longton Shopping Centre, near where the incident took place, wrote: "We are aware of the serious incident that took place in Longton town centre today and the ongoing police and emergency services presence in the area. Whilst the incident did not occur within Longton Exchange Shopping Centre, we understand that events of this nature can cause concern within our community. The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, tenants and staff remains our highest priority. Our security team remains on site, and we continue to work closely with the relevant authorities while monitoring the situation. "We would like to thank Staffordshire Police, the ambulance service, air ambulance crews, and all emergency service personnel who responded so quickly today. Their professionalism, dedication and commitment to keeping our community safe is greatly appreciated. "Our thoughts are with those injured, their families, and everyone affected by today's events. Incidents such as this can be distressing, not only for those directly involved but also for witnesses, families, local businesses and members of our community. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation." Here are two images live from the scene: Staffordshire police have told bysters to stay away from the area while the situation unfolds. "A cordon has been put in place and we’re advising people to avoid the area," the force said in a statement. Staffordshire police have confirmed officers have responded to a 'report of a fight' in Stoke city centre. A statement read: "We are responding to a report of a fight involving weapons and have closed The Strand while we investigate. "Officers were called following a report of a large group of people fighting in the area. "Some of the men were described as holding metal bars and baseball bats."