A MAN was repeatedly stabbed in the stomach during a street brawl in a Hampshire village.

Residents were woken by the sound of two men shouting and fighting outside their homes on Gordon Road in Pennington in the New Forest around 7.45am yesterday.

Minutes later police were on the scene after reports that a man had been stabbed.

Hampshire Ambulance Service said the victim walked into Lymington hospital. He was transferred to Southampton General Hospital for treatment for three stab wounds to the stomach.

Officers sealed off part of the road where the brawl had taken took place and forensic teams moved into conduct a fingertip search of the area in a bid to recover a weapon.

Later in the morning, riot police wearing body armour were seen going into an address on near by Highfield Road where they arrested a man.

The road remained sealed off until just before 2pm. Leading the investigation Det Sgt David Brown said:

"I can confirm a man was taken to Southampton General Hospital and is in a serious condition after suffering stab wounds to the stomach.

"We have been at the scene this morning but as yet have not recovered a weapon."

Residents along the quiet residential street spoke of their shock at news of the stabbing.

Mum-of-three Miranda Knowles said: "We heard two men arguing in the street but didn't think anything of it. The first we knew something serious had happened was when my daughter saw all the police tape up along the road.

"It is a shock, a real shock, when something like this happens literally on your doorstep.

"We can even see spots of blood on the pavement."

Pensioner Joan Mutter, 75, said: "There are so many police officers down here. I didn't see what happened but I saw the riot police go to an address down the road it looks like they arrested someone there."

Another woman, who asked not to be named, said: "I saw the two men in the street along with a couple and a woman in what looked like a dressing gown. They were having quite a scuffle.

"It is a shock to hear someone has been stabbed."

A man in his 20s spent yesterday being questioned by police in connection with the incident.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Lyndhurst CID on 0845 045 4545.