A major incident has been declared after a child was killed during a stabbing frenzy at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop at summer holiday club today (Mon).

The unnamed child was among eight people stabbed at the event being held for primary school children at The Hart Space in Southport, Merseyside.

Around 25 youngsters were believed to have been taking part in the event when the horror unfolded at the hypnobirthing centre in the street around 11.50am.

The business

runs kids clubs during the holidays allowing children to take part in dance and craft classes.

Police said a man has since been arrested and a knife was seized after the incident at the residential street in the seaside resort, but have not confirmed any deaths.

A staff member at the Hart Space, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she had heard the suspect was wearing a ‘black hood' when he stabbed multiple kids.

She had also heard from onlookers that children had been spotted running from the building covered in blood following the horrific ordeal.

The staff member told SWNS press agency: "There were probably 25 children there because that's the max we have there and they had reached the max."

"I don't even know if the teachers are ok, they posted the other day that they were full for this Taylor Swift holiday club this morning."

"The police had said [to me] there was one deceased."

"When I got there, there was a guy who was absolutely distraught, in a mess. "

"He'd seen two children run out of The Hart Space, and he thought they had got hit by a car because the car was just full of blood at the side of the car. "

"But it was actually that the children who had been stabbed had fallen into the car."

"It was apparently a guy with a black hooded top on. But he's been arrested."

The staff member said the front door to the property was usually left unlocked as there was no other way out of the address in case of a fire.

She added: "We've just been told that the door was open downstairs but it's always open because there's no alternative exit from that room. There's no fire door. "

"Also we have to keep it open as the children want to go to the toilet constantly and it's just outside the door – the toilets. "

"It's a lock with a key – you'd have to keep all the kids locked in with a key."

"The Hart Space is the most lovely, lovely relaxing place. Usually, it's for babies."

"It's a holistic kind of thing – for yoga and all that type of thing. For babies and pregnant women."

Emergency services flooded the area after being called at around 11.50am today (Mon).

Armed officers, 13 ambulances and four air ambulances were dispatched to the scene and a huge police cardon has been put in place.

Photos from social media show the major response, which one local said included 'around 20 police cars at the scene'.

Merseyside Police have not confirmed how many casualties have been injured, but urged the public to avoid the area near Hart Street in the town.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that emergency services are in Southport following a major incident this morning, Monday 29 July."

"At around 11.50am, we were called to a property on Hart Street to reports of a stabbing."

"There are a number of reported casualties and more details will be confirmed when possible."

"Armed police have detained a male and seized a knife. He has been taken to a police station."

"Please avoid the area while we deal with this incident. There is no wider threat to the public."

North West Ambulance Service said its paramedics had rushed victims to Alder Hey Children's hospital in Liverpool, which has itself declared a major incident.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "We have dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), Air Ambulance and Merit Doctors to the scene."

"So far, NWAS has treated eight patients with stab injuries who have been taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby hospital."

The hospital said in a statement: "We can confirm that the Trust has declared a major incident."

"The Trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our Emergency Department is currently extremely busy."

"We ask parents to only bring their children to the Emergency Department if it is urgent."

"All other appointments and services are running as normal."

Police dashed to Hart Street this morning, near the town's train station.

It is a residential road which connects Norwood Road in the east and Ash Street in the west.

Locals said they warned each other to lock their windows and doors following reports of a man "running around stabbing people" in community WhatsApp groups."

Situated on the Irish Sea coast in the North West of England, Southport is around 17 miles north of Liverpool.

It became popular with tourists during the 19th century and boomed during the Victorian Era and boasts the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles.