By Martin Lea and Joshua Kirby

Armed police swooped in Weymouth to hunt suspects after a man was stabbed at a house.

It prompted a huge police presence in the town centre and elsewhere as officers responded and began searching for suspects.

Police enquiries into the violent attack are continuing today following a dramatic few hours on Saturday in which a number of raids were carried out across town.

The investigations led officers to various locations including the seafront where suspects who are believed to have fled across the roofs of hotels were detained.

There was also dramatic scenes at the railway station where dozens of police officers descended and searched a train.

Officers were first alerted to Bath Street, off Commercial Road, where a local man aged in his 40s was found injured on Saturday morning.

Neighbours said they heard screams from a property before the emergency services arrived.

At least four police cars and a van were at the scene, along with an emergency ambulance and a paramedic car.

The police helicopter was circling in the area.

Bath Street at the Commercial Road was cordoned off.

Shortly afterwards police turned their attention to the railway station, believing people involved in the attack may have tried to flee by train.

Dorset Echo:

Picture: LEE DOLBEAR

The 11.08am train to Bournemouth was held up as police, including armed officers, and those with riot shields and a sniffer dog started searching carriages.

A passenger said: "We were about to leave when it was announced the train would be delayed.

"Then suddenly we saw police in riot gear and with guns and they came on the train; they were obviously looking for someone.

"It was a bit of a shock."

Dorset Echo:

Picture: MATT BELL

The passenger said he saw a person being led by police onto a stationary train at the platform where he thought they were being questioned Armed police were guarding the door of the train.

The 11.08am departure was given the all-clear to leave about 11.50am, and there some disruption to services because of this hold-up.

There was a rail strike on Saturday so there were fewer trains running and departures on the Waterloo line were only going as far as Bournemouth.

Following the train station raid there were then reports of a heavy police presence on the seafront, near the Lennox Street junction.

Police carried out a search at a hotel and detained suspects who it is understood had clambered onto roofs.

The general manager of the Mon Ami hotel on the Esplanade, Paul Seabrook, said armed police had entered the hotel to apprehend three suspects who it is understood had tried to escape across the roofs of the hotels.

“They were running across the roofs and then they reached ours, which is at the end,” Mr Seabrook said. “All of a sudden there were armed police coming into the hotel.”

Mr Seabrook praised the police’s swift work. “They were fantastic with the guests,” he said. “They told them to stay in their rooms and they got the job done quickly.”

He added that it the incident had come as a surprise. “It’s not what you expect,” he said. “But it went as well as it could have done.”

Armed police also searched flats at Keel House in the Lodmoor Hill area of Dorchester Road, picture below. Residents were told to stay indoors while investigations were carried out.

Dorset Echo:

Picture: DONNA PACE

Police were also seen raiding an address in Chickerell Road, towards the Boot Hill end, picture below.

Dorset Echo:

Picture: ANDY JUDD

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "Dorset Police was called at 10.31am on Saturday to a report that a man had been assaulted at an address in Bath Street in Weymouth. It was reported that the offenders had subsequently left the scene.

"The injured man has been taken to hospital for treatment to a stab wound. His injury is not believed to be life threatening.

"Officers attended and a search of the area was carried out, involving armed officers and the NPAS helicopter. Three men were subsequently detained in the area of The Esplanade. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

"These searches included Weymouth train station, causing some disruption to services and we would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding while these enquiries were carried out."

In response to operations in other parts of town, the police spokesman said: "While we wouldn’t go into specific addresses, we can confirm that further enquiries are being carried out at other addresses in Weymouth in relation to the incident."

Dorset Police said today, Monday, that three people had been arrested in connection with the incident - two men aged 20 and 21, and a 16-year-old boy, all from the London area.

The 21-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and the two others were arrested on suspicion of wounding with intent.

They have all been released under investigation.