Terrified shoppers described seeing a man throwing bottles and holding a 10 inch knife during an alleged incident in an Ellesmere Port supermarket.

The Asda store was packed with customers when the man allegedly started throwing wine bottles and produced the weapon at around midday today, (Friday, March 7).

A police officer was slashed with a knife as officers wrestled with the man and a store worker was taken to hospital with injuries after reportedly getting glass in his eye.  The officer sustained a deep laceration to his hand and has since been discharged from hospital although he will have to return for surgery at a later date.

A 59-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of affray and assault and is currently helping police with their enquires. The officer is described as sustaining a cut to his hand, possibly by a knife, and was taken to hospital for treatment.  

Horrified shoppers described the terrifying moment a siren sounded in the Market Square store before they were forced to abandoned their shopping and evacuate as  police rushed to the supermarket. 

“People were saying he had a knife,” said Clare Birkinshaw, of Guilden Sutton, who gestured with her hands the man had a knife about 10 inches long.

“He was throwing bottles at everyone who had a green Asda shirt on.  There was a lot of panicking, everyone had to get out, we had to leave our shopping.”

“They told everyone to leave everything and get out. The police came sprinting.”

The scene outside Asda in Ellesmere Port after shoppers were evacuated following reports of a man seen with a knife in the store
The scene outside Asda in Ellesmere Port after shoppers were evacuated following reports of a man seen with a knife in the store

Another woman, who was leaving the store, described how she heard a  siren and tannoy announcement and abandoned her shopping, saying:  “There were hundreds of people there.”

And concerned shoppers waiting outside the store said “someone has been stabbed” as police remained outside the supermarket.  Staff were allowed to return to the store in the hours following the incident this afternoon.

Police tape was strung-up across the entrance of the 24hr superstore, which reopened at 3pm.

Seven police cars and an ambulance were seen arriving at the supermarket, as customers evacuated to the car park. Shoppers on twitter described seeing a man with a “machete” in the store, and an Asda worker walking to an ambulance  with a large dressing over his eye.

Chester resident Rachel Zan  tweeted: “Allegedly man had a 10  inch knife and was throwing bottles  t people. Seven police cars just  left."

Later she added: “Asda worker just  walked to ambulance with large  dressing over his eye.”

A PCSO guarding the entrance to the store confirmed an incident had taken place and an officer had received a cut to the hand. No customers had been hurt in the incident,  he said.

A spokesperson for Cheshire Police confirmed a 59-year-old local man had been arrested on suspicion of  affray and assault  and was continuing to help officers with enquires.

“The man was aggressive and threatening towards officers, who used pepper spray to effect an  arrest,” he said. 

“During the course of the arrest a  police officer received a laceration to his hand believed to have been  caused by the knife. The officer has  been taken to hospital by ambulance  where the injury is being assessed.

“There are no reports of any members of the public being injured as a  result of the incident. A male member of Asda staff received what is  believed to be glass in the eye during  the incident and has also been taken  to hospital to be assessed.”

A spokesperson from Asda said: "We are working closely with the police and helping them with their investigation.  The colleague is still in hospital.  No other members of staff were involved."

Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident  or who was at the store and has not  yet spoken to police, to call Ellesmere  Port police Station on 101, quoting  incident 404 of March 7.