A YOUNG girl was stabbed in the leg in the early hours of Sunday morning in Penhill while attempting to defend another woman from a man with a blade.

The incident occurred at around 2am in Mildenhall Way on Sunday as police received reports of an assault in the block of flats.

The teenage victim said she had intervened during the attack as she attempted to push the assailant off the woman, but had been injured herself for her trouble as she was caught with the knife.

Police attended the scene and investigations are ongoing into the incident. A 22-year-old man from Reading was arrested on suspicion of assault and inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent. He has been released on bail as enquiries continue into the incident.

The 14-year-old girl, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Adver she was in good health after the incident, in which she sustained a puncture on her right thigh.

“This man had a woman held up with a knife in the flats in Mildenhall Way,” she said.

“Where he gripped the woman up with a knife, I pushed him off her, then he stabbed me. I am okay now, and police were called.

“He stabbed me in the right thigh. The other woman is fine, and I didn’t realise what happened until I put my hand down and saw blood on my hand. After I got stabbed the man ran away. The police and the ambulance came, and me and the woman went to hospital.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “Police were called to an address in Mildenhall Way, Penhill, Swindon, shortly before 2am on Sunday October 4, following a report of an assault.

“A 14-year-old girl from Swindon sustained a small superficial puncture wound to her leg as a result of the incident.

“A 22-year-old man from Reading has been arrested on suspicion of assault and inflicting GBH without intent. He has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.”

Anyone with any information about the incident should contact Wiltshire Police on non-emergency number 101, or alternatively information can be left anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.