POLICE have launched an investigation into attempted murder after a man entered a KFC restaurant with stab wounds in Bournemouth.

Emergency services were called to Wimborne Road in Winton on Sunday evening after reports that an assault had taken place inside an address in Wimborne Road.

Bournemouth Echo:

The air ambulance landed on Winton Rec

It is thought the injured man may have entered the Wimborne Road KFC in order to summon help.

A police cordon was still in place at a separate location on the same route, across an alley between the Conto Lounge and the Chicken & Blues restaurant, on Monday morning and officers took to the area to conduct further investigation.

Bournemouth Echo:

A 28-year-old man from Bournemouth has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder whilst a 29-year-old woman, also from Bournemouth, has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. They are currently helping police with their inquiries.

Bournemouth Echo:

Picture by Gabriel Bush

Local residents were alerted to the drama after they heard sirens and a helicopter.

The injured man was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

The incident came just 24 hours after a man was stabbed in the shoulder during an altercation involving three men at a property in Exeter Park Road on Saturday.

Detective Inspector Gavin House, of Bournemouth CID, said: “A full investigation is underway by detectives and I would urge anyone who was in the area at the relevant time and saw or heard anything suspicious to please contact Dorset Police."

Bournemouth Echo:

Picture by Gabriel Bush

These incidents bring to four the number of reported stabbing incidents in the BCP area during July.

BCP’s deputy leader Mark Howell said that when he last spoke to police about knife crime around four months ago: “They were of the opinion that we didn’t have an issue in this area the same way that some other places have it. I think it’s an evolving issue that we need to understand in more details.”

Asked if the council was looking at any new initiatives, such as the Scottish style approach of treating knife crime as a health problem, he said: “A lot of the things that can be done to help this are not in the gift of the council; police numbers, mental health support and the schools, because councils have very little influence over schools now.”

Anyone with information about the recent crimes is asked to contact Dorset Police on 101 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.