The man arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after three people were stabbed in Manchester has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Police said the 40-year-old man, who was taken into custody after the incident at Arndale shopping centre, has been assessed by specialist doctors.

Officers continue to investigate "in order to fully understand the motives behind the attack", which happened when the suspect entered the Exchange Court area of the centre at 11.15am on Friday.

Image: Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that three people were stabbed at the Arndale centre. Pic: @GrizzleMarine/PA Wire

He was said to have been armed with a "large knife" and began "lunging and attacking people" with the weapon, before being confronted by two unarmed police community support officers.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson told reporters: "He then chased them with the knife while they were calling for urgent assistance. The man began attacking people around him."

Mr Jackson said five people were injured, adding: "Although the injuries are nasty, we are told that thankfully, none of them are life-threatening."

The force confirmed that only three of the five had been stabbed, and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said that one patient suffered "serious" injuries.

Mr Jackson said the motives of the attacker - who struck just a short walk away from the Manchester Arena, where 22 people died in a suicide bombing in 2017 - remained unknown.

Police are confident, however, that he was acting alone.

Mr Jackson said that the "frightening" attack was likely to bring back memories of the "awful events of 2017".

Officers were able to get the incident on Friday morning under control quickly and Exchange Court was reopened not long after 5pm.

Home Secretary Priti Patel praised police, tweeting: "Very concerned by the incident in Manchester. My thoughts are with those affected. I am, as always, very grateful to the police for running towards danger to keep us safe.

"Now important they are given space to carry out their investigation."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: "Shocked by the incident in Manchester and my thoughts are with the injured and all those affected.

"Thank you to our excellent emergency services who responded and who are now investigating what happened."

Image: GMP says: 'We are keeping an open mind about the motivation of this terrible incident'

Describing the victims, a police spokesperson said: "A 19-year-old woman was taken to hospital with stab wounds.

"Another woman was also taken to hospital with stab injuries. Both their conditions are described as stable.

"A man in his 50s has also been taken to hospital with stab wounds.

"A fourth victim - a woman in her 40s - who was not stabbed - has been assessed and did not need to go to hospital following assessment by paramedics."

The ambulance service said a "large number" of staff and 13 ambulances were sent to the Arndale, and its crews were stood down just before 2pm.

Four hazardous area response vehicles, two advanced paramedics, two doctors and two officers also went.

Zaid Alrashdi, who works in a fruit shop in the centre, said he "heard people screaming" at about 11.15am.

He described seeing a woman "crying and screaming" in a corner, and saw police outside a Starbucks.

Armed officers arrived soon afterwards and urged everyone to leave.

A shop worker, who gave his name only as Jordan, 23, described a man "running around with a knife lunging at multiple people" and said someone had come into the store "visibly shaken with a small graze".

Jordan, who has only been working at the centre for a few months, said the attack took place on the ground floor.

Freddie Houlder, 22, from Market Drayton, was in the centre when he heard "a load of screams just outside".

He said a woman then came into the shop and told others "a guy just ran past the shop and tried to stab me".

Mr Houlder added: "Luckily she had quite a thick jacket - she thought originally it was a fake knife because of how easily it grazed off but police came in and said it was a real knife and she burst into tears."