A PARTYGOER was stabbed in the back at a boy's 16th birthday party in Gloucester.
The 20-year-old man was wounded by a blade during a fight at Riverside Sports and Leisure Club at St Oswald's Road, in Gloucester, on Friday night at around 11.20pm.
Club manager Andrew Royce told how he broke up a fight at the party, which was a family birthday celebration for one of his workers, but only discovered the victim's stab wound on his back when police had arrived.
He said: "It was a shock for us all. You don't expect that sort of thing to happen.
"We have not had any incidents here for a number of years.
"What should just have been a family party took a turn for the worse and became something nasty.
"The club was booked as a private party.
"There were about 100 people here but it was a private event.
"Initially it was just a fight and I had already stopped the party and called the police before we realised that someone had been injured.
"There was a puncture wound to his lower back."
A nearby resident, who did not want to be named, said: "We were just sitting up before bed when we heard quite a commotion with sirens whizzing down the road."
Despite receiving a "significant" injury, the 20-year-old victim initially refused treatment from paramedics from South West Ambulance Service.
Inspector Joseph Tierney, from Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: "He was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital eventually after being persuaded to do so."
The victim's injuries, inflicted by a blade, were initially thought to be 'life-changing' but police inspector John Lynch-Wardon said yesterday: "It is not as bad as first thought but it is still a significant injury."
A 20-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of wounding but has since been released on bail while investigations continue into the attack.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 480 of March 29.
