A market trader has described the moment he faced down a knife-wielding woman who stabbed a man in Barnsley town centre.

Abdul Razzaq confronted the woman after she produced a large kitchen knife and shouted "kill, kill, kill, kill" - stabbing a person in the shoulder before walking around the streets.

The 43-year-old followed the 6ft tall woman, described as wearing Muslim clothes but not wearing a face covering, and alerted police to where she was in the town's train station.

Mr Razzaq said he managed to convince her to put down the knife, and police officers subsequently arrested her.

Explaining how the woman appeared when he was setting up his stall early on Saturday morning, Mr Razzaq said: "I saw the lady come over on one side and say, 'Kill, kill, kill kill,' but I ignored it at first.


"But then she opened this big bag, took out a knife and put its packaging in the bin."

Mr Razzaq said he followed the woman as she tried to strike several people, including some old women, and pleaded with her to kill him instead.

"I said kill me, but don't touch these people," he added.

Image: Shopkeeper Abdul Razzaq describes the moment he stood between the knife-wielding woman and some shoppers

Mr Razzaq also said he confronted the woman and called her a terrorist: "I told her 'you are a terrorist because you do this - try to kill people'."

The woman allegedly replied: "I'm no terrorist" before repeatedly saying "kill" and attempting to stab people as she walked around the centre.

"Everyone scattered and all of the shops closed to escape from her," Mr Razzaq added.

Police confirmed that a woman has been arrested following this morning's incident and remains in custody.

"A kitchen knife has been recovered by officers and is being forensically examined," Assistant Chief Constable Tim Forber said in a statement.

"At this stage, we are keeping an open mind as to the motivation.

"Rest assured we are working relentlessly to piece together what happened."

UPDATE: We can confirm that one woman has been arrested following this morning's incident in #Barnsley. She remains in custody. A kitchen knife has been recovered. Please see the latest update below from @SYPTimForber pic.twitter.com/4cDz8YqRtb — SouthYorkshirePolice (@syptweet) 8 September 2018

Another witness claimed that the woman had shouted "in the name of Jesus".

A man suffered minor injuries in connection with Saturday morning's disturbance, which police treated as a serious incident.

Earlier, South Yorkshire Police said: "An investigation is now under way and in its early stages to establish whether this is an isolated incident and whether the individual acted alone."

Police cordons have been put in place and there was police activity around a bin inside a cordon in Peel Square near the Supernews newsagent.

A man in a forensic suit was seen looking into the bin with what appeared to be a mirror.

Police are said to be searching for possible accomplices.

Hannah Fuller, 24, who works at the Subway sandwich shop at the Barnsley Interchange, said that officers rushed towards a railway platform and that businesses had been forced to close for an hour.