A teenager has been stabbed in the street in what has been described as a “targeted attack”.

The 15-year-old was attacked and injured in the arm on Mersey Bank Road in the New Ferry area of ​​Wirral at around 12:25 GMT on Saturday, Merseyside Police said.

Two men dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas were seen riding away from the injured teenager on electric bicycles, the force added.

Detective Inspector Paula Jones said police had stepped up patrols in the area to “reassure communities” while they investigated the stabbing.

Additional stop and search powers had been put in place around New Ferry after the attack, but they expired at 0400 GMT on Sunday.

The boy was stabbed twice in the arm but is stable, a police spokesman said.

The force has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them.

“If you want to help us prevent our young people from becoming victims of knife crime, please provide us with information and we will do the rest,” Inspector Jones said.

“Knife crime has no place on the streets of Wirral or anywhere on Merseyside.”