Police given extra stop and search powers after teenagers hurt in 'extremely serious' attacks

Police in Merseyside have been granted extra powers to stop and search people after two teenagers were hurt in "extremely serious" attacks on Friday.

Additional officers have also been deployed following the incidents in the Knowsley area, just outside Liverpool, on Friday. In the first attack, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed in Woodfarm Hey, Stockbridge Village.

He was taken to hospital just after 3.45pm and is described as being in a serious but stable condition. In the second incident, a 19-year-old was found with gunshot wounds in his back and leg outside a property in Manley Road, Huyton.

Emergency services were called at 8.50pm and he was taken to hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Detectives said there was no evidence to believe the attacks were linked, but said they were keeping an "open mind".

On Saturday, Merseyside Police announced they were imposing Section 60 orders in two areas of Knowsley, giving police extra powers to stop and search people, even if they have no "reasonable suspicion" they could be guilty of committing a crime. Officers can also order members of the public to remove face coverings and arrest them if they fail to do so.

A police spokesperson added: "Additional officers are providing high visibility presence in both areas as our enquiries continue, including house-to-house, CCTV and forensics. "As part of this work, the Section 60 orders will be in place from 4pm today [Saturday] until 3.59pm tomorrow [Sunday]".

Read more from Sky News:Woman stabbed in neck in 'unprovoked attack'Davina McCall reveals cancer diagnosisMan charged with stealing luggage from airport Knowsley Local Policing Superintendent Karl Baldwin said: "The residents of both Stockbridge Village and Huyton will be rightly shocked to hear about what has happened, and we'd urge those communities to come forward if they haven't already done so, with any information, CCTV or other footage... "These are extremely serious incidents which have resulted in two young people sustaining serious injuries in what appear to have been targeted attacks.

"We are working hard to piece together the circumstances while supporting each victim's family, and we are keeping an open mind as to the motives while providing significant additional resources in these areas." It comes days after emergency service workers were attacked by fireworks as they responded to a fire at a block of flats in Huyton. Police arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the incident in Primrose Drive on Wednesday evening.

A female police officer suffered a minor leg injury in the attack..