ARMED police swooped on a house after two teenagers were stabbed in a knife attack in York.

Eyewitnesses watched in horror as officers in body armour arrested a man at a house on the corner of Cornlands Road and St Stephen's Road, in Acomb.

The double stabbing is believed to have happened at a flat in nearby Thoresby Road, which was cordoned off with police tape as forensic officers continued to search the scene for evidence well into the early hours of today.

The victims, who are both in their mid teens, were taken to hospital by ambulance.

Tony McDaid, 49, who lives in Cornlands Road, said he was shocked when he returned from a night out to see the whole street lined with police cars.

He said: "There was an armed siege going on at the house opposite mine. There were at least 12 police vehicles and armed response units - they were all the way up the street.

"A girl told me two people had been stabbed. One was quite badly hurt and the other had been stabbed in the arm.

Police storm house after boys are stabbed

"Armed police with body armour and shields stormed the house and arrested a young man. I saw them bring him out and put him in the back of a police van.

"All I l know is that he stabbed two lads, but I don't know why he did it. Why would anyone do something like that?

"I've never seen anything like it before. I just couldn't believe it."

An ambulance service spokesman confirmed that two teenage boys were taken to York Hospital with stab wounds.

He said: "One had been stabbed in the back and the arm and the other had been stabbed in the leg. They were both teenagers - about 15 or 16 years old.

"They are both in a stable condition."

Duty Sergeant Jeremy Wilkinson, of North Yorkshire Police, said officers were investigating an incident in Thoresby Road and Cornlands Road area.

He said: "We made one arrest for a wounding offence.

"Two local males have sustained superficial stab wounds, but they are not thought to be life threatening. We believe their injuries have been caused by a knife.

"As a result of our enquiries at the scene we have arrested a third male, who is also local. He is now helping us with our enquiries."

He said officers were called to the scene shortly after 10.30pm last night. He said "quite a number" of officers attended, including armed response teams.

One police car and one van were still at the scene at 2am today as officers searched the grassy area surrounding a ground floor flat in Thoresby Road with torches.