Southend West MP stabbed
Sir David Amess was at a constituency meeting at the time
Last updated 15th Oct 2021
A Conservative Essex MP has been stabbed multiple times, whilst at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea.
69-year-old Sir David Amess, who represents Southend West is receiving treatment at the at the scene at Belfairs Methodist Church.
Police were called to Eastwood Road North shortly after 12.05pm and the surrounding roads have been closed off.
In a statement, Essex Police said:
"We were called to reports of a stabbing in Eastwood Road North, #LeighonSea shortly after 12.05pm today (15 October).
"Officers were on scene shortly after, arrested a man and recovered a knife. He is currently in custody.
"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the wider public.
"We want to thank the public who alerted us to the incident so quickly.
"We need anyone who saw anything or has CCTV, dash cam or doorbell footage to contact us. If you have any information you can submit a report online at https://www.essex.police.uk or use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.
"Please quote incident 445 of 15 October. You can also call us on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
An employee of Jean's Laundry, near Belfair's Methodist Church in Eastwood Road, said she did not know anything about the situation but had seen emergency service vehicles go by.
"We just saw all the police and the ambulances turning up, it was probably about half past 12 or just before then," she told the PA news agency.
"I saw about two or three ambulances and then an undercover police car and other police cars going past.
"There's usually people walking past, elderly people walking to the shops. We've still got no idea what's going on, we're not very busy on a Friday and no one has come in to talk to us about it."