'My son just called me to say he'd been stabbed': Mum's despair as young man is seriously injured in Harborough knife attack

A 21-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after he was stabbed at least twice in Market Harborough late on Saturday night.

Seriously-injured Keiran Silcott was flown straight to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire by air ambulance after he was knifed in the chest and right leg.

He is receiving urgent treatment after he was targeted in the brutal attack just after 9pm.

Police believe Keiran was attacked in the nearby Britannia Walk and Nithsdale Crescent area before he staggered to St Mary’s Place just yards from Sainsbury’s superstore.

The busy store was still open serving stunned shoppers when the victim is thought to have collapsed on the ground outside.

Police, ambulances and medics raced to the scene along with the air ambulance after the alarm was raised.

The area around Sainsbury’s was immediately sealed off by police as medics gave seriously-injured Keiran emergency first aid on the ground.

The Britannia Walk and Nithsdale Crescent area has also been cordoned off as police search teams look for vital forensic clues.

Keiran’s mum Claire Silcott was out on patrol as a street pastor with three colleagues when she suddenly got a call from her distraught son telling her he had been knifed.

Talking to the Harborough Mail at the scene late on Saturday night immediately after the attack, Claire said: “It’s absolutely devastating.

“I just can’t believe this has happened – it’s surreal.

“I’ve got to go to hospital to try and see poor Keiran and make sure he’s all right.”

Reliving the horrific drama of less than an hour before, Claire, of Lubenham, near Market Harborough, said: “I was out on patrol with three other street pastors in Welland Park.

“We were just out about to give out lollipops to young people in the park.

“I suddenly got a call from Keiran at about 9.20pm.

“He told me ‘Mum, I’ve been stabbed’.

“He was very upset as you can imagine.

“I just couldn’t believe it.

“It’s your worst nightmare to get a call from one of your children telling you they’ve been stabbed,” said Claire, whose son lives with her in Lubenham.

“I ran straight here to Sainsbury’s from Welland Park as fast as I could – I’ve never run so fast.

“I got here and there were five paramedics working on him giving him treatment on the ground.

“Keiran was lying down, just lying there.

“He was conscious.

“There was a lot of blood – not so much from his chest but his leg was bleeding heavily.

“He had just gone out into town for a drink with his mates on a Saturday night – and this happens.

“It’s all very hard to take in,” said Claire.

Standing beside her, her fellow street pastor Steve Brown, from Kibworth Beauchamp, said: “The whole thing beggars belief.

“We had just seen Keiran and his mates walking over the Commons car park bridge earlier that night.

“That can’t have been long before he was stabbed.

“We are all here with Claire to support her and stand by her at this terrible time.

“There is a CCTV camera up there on Sainsbury’s store so that should have shot and captured exactly what happened and show how Keiran was stabbed.”

As we were talking the air ambulance suddenly took off with a whoosh from nearby Symington’s Recreation Ground at about 10pm.

The aircraft lifted up above the trees and soared off into the black night sky as it whisked Keiran to hospital in Coventry.

“It’s all happened very quickly, so fast,” said Claire, a mum-of-four as she took a stream of phone calls from worried family and friends.

“The police and medics were here very quickly and I can’t thank them enough for giving Keiran the best possible treatment.

“I just want to get to hospital now as fast as I can to find out how Keiran’s doing and support him by his bedside.”

And with that she went off with her fellow street pastors to be taken to see Keiran as he was treated at hospital in Coventry.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman told the Mail late on Saturday night: “Officers were called to St Mary’s Place in Market Harborough at 9.20pm this evening (Saturday 12 June) after a 21-year-old man was found with stab wounds.

“He has been taken to hospital via air ambulance.

“The investigation is in its very early stages.

“However, it’s believed the incident may have taken place in the Britannia Walk and Nithsdale Crescent area shortly before the injured man was found.”

Appealing for eye-witnesses, she added: “Both areas have been cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident or knows anything about the circumstances leading up to the incident is asked to contact 101, quoting incident 662 of 12 June.

“Officers remain the local area while those enquiries are ongoing to reassure local residents.”