A 47-year-old man has been arrested after a woman was brutally stabbed to death inside a shop.

Merseyside Police rushed to the scene on Stanley Road, close to Wadham Road junction, following a call just after 5.05pm today, June 20, about a domestic disturbance. Reports indicated that a 44 year old woman had been assaulted inside the shop, suffering a stab wound to her torso. Upon arrival, officers apprehended a man and confiscated a knife.

The victim, who has not been named, was rushed to hospital in critical condition but tragically passed away shortly thereafter. Her family has been notified and is receiving support from the police. A 47-year-old man from Widnes has been arrested under suspicion of attempted murder and carrying a bladed weapon in public.

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Following the woman's death he has now additionally been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Detective Inspector Gavin Mulcahy expressed his sorrow: "It is desperately sad that a woman lost her life earlier today as a result of this incident. Our thoughts first and foremost are with her family, who are now left to grieve her loss in the most tragic of circumstances. They will be fully supported by specialist officers in the coming days and weeks."

DI Mulcahy also acknowledged the impact on the local community: "The community too will feel the shock and upset of this incident, and we will have officers on high visibility patrols in the area over the weekend to hopefully provide reassurance and support for anyone who needs it.

Detectives are tirelessly compiling witness statements and gathering forensic evidence to piece together a clear picture of the events that transpired, reports the Liverpool Echo

DI Mulcahy added: "We know Stanley Road is a busy road, and there would have been people making their way home from work, heading to the shops or going out for the evening at this time.

"We would urge anyone who saw any part of this incident or may have CCTV to contact us. Likewise, if you were driving along Stanley Road at around 5pm and have a dashcam, we ask that you check that for anything that may have been caught on the road between its junctions with Wadham Road and Keble Road."

They are still in the preliminary phase of their investigation, but they're currently treating the situation as a domestic assault where the suspect and the victim were acquainted, and they're not seeking any other individuals in connection with it.

Detective Inspector Mulcahy stressed: "We treat all reports of domestic abuse extremely seriously, targeting offenders and supporting vulnerable victims all year round. If you are a victim of domestic abuse or believe a neighbour or someone you know is, please let us know so that we can investigate and take action."

If you have any information regarding this incident, please get in touch with the Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or on Facebook at 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre'. You can also submit information through their website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or ring 101 quoting incident reference 25000507041.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or through their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously..