TWO men are being quizzed by police in connection with a stabbing incident in a County Durham town last night.

Police were called to Bessemer Street, in Ferryhill, at about 7.30pm responding to reports that a large number of people had gathered in the street following a stabbing.

The victim, a man in his mid 30s, had been stabbed several times.

He was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham where his condition was described as serious but not life threatening.

One man in his mid-40s was arrested near the scene of the incident.

Armed officers surrounded another house in the same street and, after an operation lasting around two hours, a second man in his mid-20s was arrested without incident.

Pensioner Mary Thomas, 69, whose home backs onto the street, said: "There were police stood at the top and the bottom of the street and a lot of activity.

"The problem is we have got every Tom Dick and Harry being moved into this area and filling the homes.

"They are not Ferryhill people and we are quite scared, because we don't know who's who."

One of the arrested men was taken to Bishop Auckland police station and the other to Newton Aycliffe where they were still being questioned this morning.