Woman dies after stabbing in Bradford city centre as police hunt knifeman

A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was stabbed in a busy city centre.

Police said the "shocking" attack happened in a "busy area" of Bradford on Saturday afternoon and was witnessed by a number of people.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police were called to Westgate at the junction with Drewton Road at 3.21pm on Saturday after reports a woman was stabbed by a man who then fled the scene.

The woman was taken to hospital where she later died, the force said.

She is yet to be formally identified but is understood to be 27 years old. Her family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Det Ch Insp Stacey Atkinson said: “This is a shocking incident that has happened in broad daylight in a busy area of Bradford and been witnessed by a number of people.

“A young woman has lost her life in the most awful circumstances, and we have extensive inquiries ongoing to locate and arrest the man responsible.

“We understand that this incident will understandably cause concern in the local community, and I would like to reassure the wider public that we are working tirelessly to investigate this horrendous crime and bring the person responsible to justice.

“To help us with this we are urging anyone who was in the area who may have dashcam footage or seen or heard something, however small it may seem, to please come forward.

“A scene remains in place which includes some road closures and I thank the public for their patience while we conduct our inquiries.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...