Arrests made as wave of bladed violence grips Greater Manchester over bank holiday

A man is fighting for his life after a double stabbing tore through a quiet Salford street in the early hours of Monday, leaving residents terrified and prompting a full-scale police investigation.

At 2:45am on 26 May, Greater Manchester Police rushed to Cobden Street in Pendleton after frantic 999 calls reported a brutal knife brawl erupting between several men. The bloody aftermath saw two victims make their own desperate way to Salford Royal Hospital—one remains critically wounded, the other has since been discharged.

Three men—aged 27, 31, and 33—have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. They remain in custody as detectives from Salford CID scour the area for evidence. Cobden Street is still sealed off behind police tape, a stark reminder of how violence shattered the Bank Holiday calm.

But the Salford attack is just one harrowing scene in a weekend marred by blade carnage across Greater Manchester.

In a chilling pattern of bloodshed, four other young men—including teenagers—were stabbed in separate incidents across Moss Side, Longsight, and Droylsden. Several are being treated for serious or life-threatening injuries.

This explosion of violence has now prompted GMP to ramp up stop and search powers citywide. Officers say it’s a drastic, but necessary, effort to reclaim the streets.

Councillor John Warmisham, of the Pendleton and Charlestown Ward, didn’t mince words. “It really concerns me, the rise of knife crime,” he said. “It’s totally unacceptable—who in their right mind goes out carrying a bladed weapon? It’s now left someone seriously injured.”

Residents say the violence is unprecedented for the once-quiet street. “We used to feel safe here,” said one woman, still visibly shaken. “Now we’re scared to let our kids out.”

Police are urging any witnesses or those with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward. “Even the smallest piece of information could help bring justice,” a GMP spokesperson stressed.

Across Greater Manchester, emergency services are stretched as they respond to mounting knife attacks. Ambulances raced through city streets throughout the weekend, ferrying victims to A&Es under armed escort, while officers tracked down suspects and combed through hours of footage.

The rise in blade-related crime has left the city’s parents terrified. “Every time my son leaves the house, I wonder if he’s coming back,” said one mother in Moss Side. “We’re living in fear.”

Police confirmed that multiple suspects, some as young as 17, have been arrested for their involvement in other attacks. However, they stress that the recent violence is likely linked to escalating tensions between known groups rather than random targeting.

Still, community leaders fear this could mark a turning point for Manchester. “We cannot normalise this,” said Cllr Warmisham. “This is not just a police issue—it’s a social one, a community one. We need to act, and we need to act now.”

As the blood dries on Cobden Street, one man remains clinging to life. His fate—like the city’s—hangs in the balance.