POLICE have arrested a man after a labourer was stabbed while carrying out renovation work on a block of flats in Beverley Road, west Hull.
Detectives last night arrested the 33-year-old, who was taken to Clough Road Police Station to be questioned.
The man was arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The 36-year-old labourer asked an unknown man to get off some scaffolding on the side of the building during rush-hour on Tuesday when he was stabbed in the stomach.
The labourer remains in hospital in a serious, but not life-threatening, condition.
It comes after a teenage boy was stabbed in the neck when walking to a shop on the same stretch of road on Friday.
Detectives say the two incidents are not linked.
Families in the area say they are afraid to leave their homes and are desperate to move away.
Rosemarie Fletcher, manager at American diner Liberty's, said: "We are really concerned by the trouble that has happened here recently – especially with the two stabbings.
"I often give my members of staff a lift home at night because I worry it is not always safe after a certain time. I am concerned for my staff.
"We now close a bit earlier before any trouble starts and I prefer it if we all leave together."
Goda Bielkyte, 22, said: "I have lived in this part of Hull now for about a year and I am really worried about what is happening.
"There comes a time when you no longer feel safe on the streets in this part of Hull and that is a shame because there are many good people who live here too.
"I walk to work alone and feel vulnerable. It plays on your mind a bit and I am considering moving away because of the violence."
Police deployed extra officers to the Beverley Road area yesterday.
A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "Armed response officers were deployed to the incident to support uniform police with their inquiries on Tuesday evening and a police cordon was put in place around the scene until about 11pm."
Beverley Road remained open on Tuesday evening, but heavy delays were reported as motorists and pedestrians stopped to look at what was happening.
Andrew Banks, who lives close to where the stabbing happened, said: "It is scary. To those people who think crime is going down, they need to think again. It is utter rubbish."
Lloyd James, 32, of Adderbury Grove, lives less than 50 yards from the incident.
He said: "My fear is that so many people are walking the streets with sharp objects – and armed to hurt people if they had to.
"It puts you off standing up for yourself or a loved one if you see something that is not right.
"You walk about wondering if everyone has a knife or something in their pocket.
"I have thought about moving and it has been like this in this part of Hull for a long time now."
Father-of-two Ben Smith, who lives in Beverley Road, said: "We have had enough of this.
"We are desperate to leave now. We are not sure where we will go but we will definitely go."
Anyone with information can call Humberside Police on 101, quoting crime reference number 2071621. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
