A Norwich neighbourhood has been rocked by a triple stabbing which saw a woman and two young girls taken to hospital.

Police later arrested a 28-year-old Norfolk man on South Beach Parade in Great Yarmouth and were hunting for a knife in the seaside town that could prove crucial to the investigation.

Emergency services were called to a flat in Mill Close, Lakenham, at around 12.30pm yesterday and found the injured woman, named locally as Victoria Meek, and the two children, who are believed to be her daughters.

The three are thought to live in the upstairs flat of a semi-detached house which remained cordoned off late last night, although the original larger cordon that had prevented other residents from parking cars earlier in the day had been reduced to just blocking access to the property.

Police confirmed a 23-year-old woman involved in the stabbings was in a critical but stable condition and remained in intensive care at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

A six-year-old girl who also suffered injuries is in a stable condition at the NNUH and a three-year-old girl also remains in a critical but stable condition after being transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital.

Det Chief Insp Rickie Botwright, from Norfolk police's vulnerable people unit, said: 'This appears to be an isolated incident involving people known to one another. We are currently trying to establish the exact details surrounding this incident. At this time our investigations are ongoing.'

Eamonn Fountain, 51, an insurance worker from Sprowston, was on Great Yarmouth seafront when he saw a man being pulled over.

He said: 'All of a sudden there were police everywhere. I saw them drag someone out of the driver's side. There were police cars, two unmarked police cars, two armed response vehicles.'

People living nearby were first alerted to the incident when they saw a large number of police and ambulance crews rushing to the scene, and they have spoken of their shock at what happened.

Gillian Dean, 66, who lives next door, said: 'It is such a shock.

'You do not expect this sort of thing.'

She said that in the morning she had heard banging and screaming but she had thought it was just the children playing.

'When my friend told me what had happened it made me want to be sick.'

She described the woman as a nice girl who kept herself to herself. 'She always speaks if I see her. She is a good mum who always keeps the children nice and clean, and they are friendly little girls.

'We just hope they are all going to be OK. You would not think this sort of thing would happen here.'

Charlene Nicholson, 23, said: 'It is absolutely horrific, it is horrible, and with two small children involved. I wanted to know what had happened but I did not want to hear that.'

A 28-year-old man was arrested in Great Yarmouth, at 2pm yesterday afternoon and remains in police custody awaiting questioning. Following an appeal for a knife in the South Beach Parade area, police searches have concluded with no further evidence found. Officers will now be conducting a forensic examination of the property in Mill Close.

Anyone with information should call 0845 456 4567 and ask to speak to police officers investigating Operation Moorgate. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.