Two hurt in attack by machete thugs

TWO men fell victim to a brutal gang attack in Crosland Moor which involved a frightening array of weapons.

Witnesses saw two men being attacked by a gang armed with a machete, a lump of wood and a martial arts weapon called nunchuks – two sections of wood connected by a cord or chain.

The victims were left covered in blood as they were attacked by five or six young men on Blackmoorfoot Road at Crosland Moor on Monday evening, according to shocked witnesses.

One man, who was too frightened to be named, said one victim was hit several times with a machete after he had fallen in the road near to Chapel Terrace.

It is believed the 38-year-old victim suffered serious injuries to his arm and is recovering in hospital.

A second man was hit over the head and was covered in blood, according to locals.

One witness said: “The attacker was hacking at his arm again and again with a machete. There were five or six in the gang – white, Asian and black. After the attack they just walked off down Chapel Terrace.”

Another witness said he saw a man aged about 18 using nunchuks to hit an injured man who was lying on the road near Chapel Terrace.

The witness said: “The man stumbled, fell and then was being hit with the nunchuks and a plank of wood. Someone said they saw a sword but I didn’t see it. The lad with the nunchuks had a baby face and looked about 17 or 18.” He described “five or six attackers” being involved in the altercation.

“I don’t feel safe around here now,” he said. “What happened made me think about why these people were carrying weapons. It’s a bit strange to carry weapons and obviously they were there to cause trouble.”

Some residents said violent incidents appeared to be on the increase in Crosland Moor.

One man, a resident for more than 20 years, said: “It has become like a ghetto, like America. There are gangs and lots of different kinds of people causing problems.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said officers were called to reports of an assault just after 7.40pm on Monday.

One man suffered a serious injury to his arm while a second man suffered more minor injuries.

He said: “Two men were walking on Blackmoorfoot Road when they become involved in an altercation with a group of youths, resulting in two people being assaulted with a large knife.

“A 38-year-old man was taken to hospital with a serious injury to his arm and a second 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray. He remains in custody.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting the crime reference number of 13170468783.

The Crosland Moor incident follows a series of attacks involving knives across Huddersfield in recent months, including incidents in Linthwaite, Paddock, Moldgreen and Lindley.