Flatts Lane incident: Man charged with attempted murder after woman found with knife wounds to throat

Man, 20, charged with attempted murder and possession of bladed article :: Flatts Lane residents have spoken at their shock at the incident

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Katie Lunn

Police on Flatts Lane, Normanby

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A man has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article after a young woman had her throat slit.

Police were called at 1pm yesterday to reports that a woman, aged 20, had been seriously assaulted by a man near to the old railway line, Flatts Lane, Normanby.

She was taken to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital with knife wounds to her throat.

She has now been released from hospital.

The old railway line area was cordoned off by police and the police helicopter assisted in a local area search to locate the offender.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police were called at around 1pm to reports that a woman in her 20s had been seriously assaulted by a man near to the old railway line, Flatts Lane, Normanby.

“She has been taken to James Cook University Hospital with non-life threatening knife wounds to her throat.

“The police helicopter assisted in a local area search to locate the offender.

“A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and is currently in police custody.”

He is due to appear at Teesside magistrates court today after later being charged.

People living nearby have given their reaction to the incident in what they describe as a usually “peaceful” area.

A woman, who lives on The Hastings, said: “Our house backs on to the lane.

“Kids normally walk up and down there to and from school.

“I wouldn’t walk down there alone now.”

Another resident, who didn’t want to be named, said: “It’s usually fairly peaceful around here.

“We walk the dogs a lot though and you do see a lot of abandoned bottles of alcohol and rubbish - and young people do tend to congregate.”

Unemployed Steve Myers, 35, also lives near the scene that was cordoned off by police.

He said: “The first I heard about this is one of my daughter’s friends had put it on to Facebook. People are a bit wary of walking down there.

“It’s just so unusual that something seems to have happened during the day time.

He said: “This is the posh area of Normanby around here.”

Richard Saunders, 32, a shop worker, also lives nearby.

He said: “I’m quite shocked to hear about this really.

“Especially during the day time - it’s just not something you’d expect to hear.”

Anyone with information on the incident can call Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101 or the crime-fighing charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.