‘Lovers’ tiff’ puts pair in hospital

A WOMAN and a man were rushed to hospital with head injuries following a violent attack shortly after neighbours reported hearing a “lovers’ tiff” in the street.

The 23-year-old woman and 24-year-old man were assaulted in Shaw Avenue in Armadale, West Lothian, in the early hours of yesterday.

Residents said they had heard a knife was used in the attack, with police officers later combing gardens in the street in an apparent hunt for a weapon.

Police said they could only confirm they were investigating a “serious assault”.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened at around 3am yesterday.

It is understood the attack took place outside the semi-detached home of the female victim, whose property has been the subject of repeated complaints about noise and other disturbances in recent months, said neighbours.

Fiona Newham, 24, a full-time mother, said she first heard a disturbance in the street at around 2am.

She said: “I heard loud arguing in the street. It sounded like a lovers’ tiff with lots of shouting. The woman who lives in that house was known to argue in the street, so it wasn’t that unusual.

“Then at 3am I heard more commotion and more shouting. A few minutes after that, a police car arrived.

“The police cordoned off the street and officers later started searching the street as if they were looking for a weapon.

“They were checking all the gardens nearby.

“There’s been a lot of rumours flying about that it involved a stabbing.”

Officers finally lifted the cordon in the street at 3pm yesterday after carrying out door-to-door inquiries.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I heard people shouting outside and it seemed to stop and start for a while. I could hear a woman screaming but we’ve been used to that in the street for a while.”

Another neighbour said: “I was woken up by really loud shouting and screaming. I never looked out to see what was happening, but I heard the police cars arriving. The street was cordoned off when I got up.

“The woman who lives in the house has only been there for four or five months. She is renting the place and lives there on her own with her kids.

“There’s been a lot of complaints because of the noise. People have been going in and out at all hours, there’s been loud parties, and there’s been arguments in the street before.

“Other neighbours have had confrontations with her about the noise and the police have also been at the door before.”

The front door of the property was marked with a series of holes, but it is not known whether the damage was caused in the incident.

No-one answered at the house yesterday.

A police spokeswoman said: “An investigation is under way following an alleged disturbance. A 24-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were taken to hospital with head injuries.

“A 24-year-old man has been detained in connection with this. inquiries are at an early stage and investigations are ongoing at the scene.”