Shocking moment 19-year-old is stabbed on the floor in busy street in front of terrified onlookers - as police arrest two for attempted murder

This is the horrifying moment a teenager was stabbed in a vicious attack on a busy Wigan street. 

Video footage, too graphic to publish in its entirety, showed the young man, who has not yet been identified, being held down on the floor on Wigan's Market Street on July 18. 

A knife-wielding maniac towers over him as he waves a large knife at him several times, before plunging it into him several times. 

The alleged victim has since been taken to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. It is not currently know whether he is still at hospital. 

Since the attack, two men, aged 30 and 19, were arrested on suspicious on attempted murder.  

A spokesperson for GMP said: 'Emergency services are responding to a stabbing on Market Street in Wigan [on July 18]. A man aged 19 has suffered injuries which are not life-threatening. He has been taken to hospital for treatment.

'Two men, aged 30 and 19, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.'

Inspector Sam Davies, of GMP's Wigan District, said: 'Officers responded to the incident immediately and pursued the offenders. Both suspects remain in our custody and a knife has been recovered.

'Another of our officers provided first aid to the victim, who has been taken to hospital for treatment. Whilst the incident will undoubtedly cause concern, I want to highlight the positive response provided by us and reassure the public that we treat incidents of this nature extremely seriously.

'This would appear to be an isolated incident and there is no indication there is a wider risk to the community. The public should expect to see an increased police presence in the area by way of reassurance.

'GMP's commitment to tackling knife crime remains a priority, and we will continue to work alongside partners to identify those involved, provide preventative advice and ensure those carrying and using weapons are brought to justice.

'One person injured with a knife is too many and across the force we undertake lots of proactive, and educational work, to help take knives off the streets.'

The stabbing came on a day of social unrest across the UK, with a major riot plunging a Leeds suburb into chaos, while London's Whitechapel saw groups of men clashing in the streets. 

In Leeds, riots in the Harehills area of Leeds began after social services in the city alleged removed all four children from a family, whose father is now reported to be on 'hunger strike' until his children are returned to him. 

Leeds was a scene of 'shocking and disgraceful' disorder and saw a car being trashed while a double decker bus was set on fire.

Meanwhile, harrowing video footage showed a police officer hauling a young boy out of a house and bundling him into a van.

Witnesses said the removal of the child was the flashpoint which kicked off the rioting, with the disorder lasting for hours.

Down in London, Scotland Yard said 'two large groups' of men were fighting in the street, while hundreds were involved in wider demonstrations in Whitechapel, east London, on Thursday.

Officers could be seen raising their batons as they allegedly came under attack during episodes of violence. Two police officers were injured.

The Metropolitan Police has now referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after a video shared on social media appeared to show an officer striking a man twice, with more police arriving on the scene and taking the man to the ground.

Other videos shared widely online appeared to show rocks being thrown and cars being damaged as large groups of mostly adult men clashed in Whitechapel, which has a large Bangladeshi community.