Residents in Middletown last night asked for greater Police presence after a 21-year-old Jamaican man was attacked with an unknown weapon in broad daylight.

The Devonshire man was attacked at about 4.15 p.m. in the small landscaped area that leads from Union Street to Parsons Road in Pembroke.

He suffered several lacerations to his back, leaving a trail of blood as he appeared to have ran off up towards the Union and King Street area.

When detectives and Police officers arrived on the scene just moments later, the victim was gone, but about 100 people were gathered around the area.

However, not one of them said they had seen a thing. Officers canvassed bystanders, but no one offered information. And, similarly, when The Royal Gazette spoke to those gathered, all people would say is that "they saw nothing".

But some residents said the incident had probably been driven by drugs, and said more Police presence was needed.

"It was probably drugs," said one mother-of-four Middletown resident.

"The neighbourhood is no longer safe. I don't feel safe around here anymore, and children are not safe. I have children, but I don't allow them to play outside.

A lot of things happen like this and they don't even get reported. This is not unusual.

"We want more of a Police presence. I think that would send a lot of the problems away. It would stop the drugs. As long as there is nobody (Police) here, the drugs are going to float."

And a man from Middletown, who again said he saw nothing, said: "We need more of a Police presence. "Nobody seems to care what happens. The streets just fix their own problems. We need more of a Police presence. That's all the Police needs to know."

Scenes of Crimes officers sealed off the area around the park yesterday as they searched the area for forensic clues and took a series of photographs.

It was unclear what the motive for the attack was, how many people were involved and what weapon was used. Police could only say it was a sharp instrument.

Police last night said details of the incident were still sketchy and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

A hospital spokesman said the man was stable on a general ward last night.

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said: "It appears that a 21-year-old Jamaican national male received serious lacerations as a result of an attack.

"He was conveyed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment, but his injuries are not considered life-threatening.

"We are appealing for witnesses to come forward. They can either speak to Central CID, or contact CrimeStoppers, where they can offer information anonymously.

"Right now, we don't know who we are looking for in connection with this incident, but we are looking for people with information."

Detectives were due to go to the hospital last night to question the victim on the events leading up to the attack.

Anyone with information should call Central CID on 295-0011, or CrimeStoppers on 1-800-623-8477.