Hero residents help seriously injured man after Black Country estate stabbing

West Midlands Police said the men were the victims of a targeted attack which happened in Brooklands off Brackendale Drive, in Yew Tree, on the Walsall-Sandwell border..

One of them suffered "serious injuries" when he was stabbed in the leg during the incident shortly after 8pm on Wednesday.

An eyewitness living near the scene described how members of his family gave the injured pair first aid after the drama unfolded in front of his eyes.

The man, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "I was upstairs when I heard some shouting outside. I looked out the window and saw two groups of black males out on the road.

"About four or five were in a black car and two were in a silver car.

"At first they looked like they were playing around, but then I saw they had machetes and they were swinging them round.

"The bigger group looked like they were trying to get the others to go into their car, but the two men resisted. They then tried to run away and the group chased them. One of them was stabbed and the group then got into their car and sped off.

"I was in shock. I froze. After a few seconds I ran downstairs and told my mom and dad what happened and we went out to try to help the badly injured man. We got out loads of towels to try and keep him comfortable.

"We were just trying talking to him, to keep him awake.

"They said they were brothers and they looked like they were in their 20s. The one who was less injured had phoned for the ambulance by the time we got to them.

"We stayed with them until the ambulance came. It seemed like ages, but it probably wasn't. When the paramedics arrived we moved out the way.

"It was all a big shock to be honest."

Brackendale Drive resident Pat Smith, 73, a retired shop worker, said: "I was getting ready for bed when I saw the flashing blue lights from the ambulance and then I saw the police cars speeding into the road. I came outside to see what was going on. I didn't see any injured people.

"There were a few people standing round talking. A man came walking round the corner and said someone had been stabbed. I do feel frightened because I've lived in Yew Tree for here for 60 years, 39 of them in this house.

"It's a quiet estate and the neighbours are friendly, I used to know everybody, new people have moved in and it's getting harder to know who's who.

"My granddaughter phoned and she advised me to go back inside so I did."

West Midlands Police set up a cordon running between Thetford Way, Brooklands and Spruce Road while officers could be seen carrying out a search of a grass verge on Thursday afternoon. Door-to-door inquiries and CCTV checks were also underway.

The force stated: "The men were attacked on a car park at Brooklands. One man was stabbed in the leg and taken to hospital in a serious condition, and is undergoing treatment. The other sustained superficial wounds to his shoulder and leg and was later discharged.

"We believe the suspects arrived and left the scene in a black SUV type vehicle."

"No one has been arrested, but we believe the attack is targeted," the force said.

Anyone with information should contact the force quoting incident number 20/380748/22.