CCTV images of more than 20 suspects wanted in connection with a city centre mass brawl that left three teenagers with knife wounds have been released by police.

Violence erupted outside a McDonalds in Dale End, Birmingham at 5.45pm last night when gangs of youths wielding knives, metal bars and belts clashed.

Shocked shoppers and commuters watched in horror as the chaotic scenes unfolded just a mile away from where the Tory party conference was being held.

Harrowing mobile phone footage was taken by a passer-by showing the moment knife wielding thugs attacked one teenager who had been thrown to the floor after he was repeatedly stabbed.

CCTV images of more than 20 suspects wanted in connection with the mass brawl that left three teenagers with knife wounds have been released by police

Police want to trace the men in the images which were captured on CCTV when the violence broke out yesterday at 5.45pm

Screams can be heard and shouts of 'don't touch him' ring out in the mayhem that erupted.

Emergency services rushed to the scene outside a Boots pharmacy and McDonald's restaurant and three people were taken hospital. Two men, aged 18 and 19, suffered knife injuries to the arm and leg while a 17-year-old teenager was stabbed in the chest.

All three have since been discharged from hospital.

West Midlands Police have now released images of 22 people - all believed to be in their mid-or late-teens - that they want to speak in connection with the disorder.

Shocked shoppers and commuters watched in horror as the chaotic scenes unfolded just a mile away from where the Tory party conference was being held. Pictured: More CCTV images

Police want to speak to the men as part of their investigation, which police say is progressing 'at pace'

Detective Inspector Greg Evans, said: 'What happened was totally unacceptable: a large-scale fight involving upwards of 20 people in the city centre in broad daylight.

'We know that at least one offender was armed with a knife and believe that belts and a metal bar were also brandished as weapons.

'We have released a batch of CCTV images, some of which clearly show the people we want to speak to.

'What I'd say to these individuals is that 'we'll find you' so do the right thing and contact us so you can give us your version of events.

'Our investigation is progressing at pace and I would like to thank the people who have come forward with witness accounts and also to provide mobile phone video footage of what happened.

Harrowing mobile phone footage shows the moment knife wielding thugs attack a teenager (right) who was thrown to the floor (right) after he was repeatedly stabbed

'If anyone else has photos of video of the disorder then I'd ask them to also contact us as they could hold vital information.'

Witnesses spoke of their horror following the triple stabbing and said hundreds of teenagers had gathered in the area at the time.

Sophie James tweeted: 'I just saw the kids jumping on the one kid who got stabbed.

'I was on the bus at the time pulling into high street so I only really saw the aftermath and the poor kid on the floor once I got off.'

In the video, which was posted on Snapchat, a girl can be heard pleading with the attackers and pulls a hooded man's arms saying: 'You better not f****** touch him.'

Screams can clearly be head in the footage as the group sets upon the hooded youth lying on the floor

But the attacker shouts back 'Move' and one man can be seen holding what appears to be a knife by his side.

The victim is then pushed to the floor and a group of men surround him, kicking and stamping on his body.

One of them, who appears to be brandishing a machete, then strikes the victim as he cowers on the floor.

Another passer-by, who did not want to be named, said: 'They broke off and one walked towards me wiping blood from his nose with a tissue.

'It felt horrible to watch, it felt almost like something out of a film.

Police at the scene in Birmingham where three people were stabbed in the city centre

Officers are appealing for information after three people were stabbed in Birmingham city centre

'It was just so brutal. Even when he was down they didn't stop.

'It was a gang mentality, they were all doing it.'

Another witness added that there was up to a dozen people stamping on the victim - who he thought was dead.

A 25-year-old told BirminghamLive: 'I was on the bus going into town and everyone started making weird noises as it started pulling up at the bus stand near the McDonald's.

'There was a massive group of kids, I'd say they were probably aged around 16.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after three people were stabbed in the city centre

'They all went after this one guy who looked the same age and grabbed him - he nearly went under a taxi.

'There were probably about 30 of them.

'Then about 10 or 12 guys started stamping on him. I was on the phone to my mum when it happened and I told her I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead. 'They were stamping on his head and legs, everywhere. They kept doing it.

'A group of girls broke the whole thing up saying 'leave him alone he's down'.

'He didn't wake up the whole time I was there.

'It was only later when I heard someone had been stabbed.'

The incident comes despite a heightened security presence in the city for the Conservative Party Conference.

Minutes after the attack in Birmingham one person was knifed in an attack at Hackney Central station in east London.

His condition is not thought to be life threatening.