A fourth boy has been taken into custody following an incident where five teenagers were stabbed at a Halloween party in Hampshire. The attack occurred shortly after 22:30 GMT on Saturday at a residence on Park Road in Chandler's Ford, where police responded to reports that an unknown group had entered the event by climbing over a garden fence.

One of the victims, a 17-year-old boy, remains hospitalized in life-threatening condition. The other four boys, who all sustained serious injuries, have since been discharged from medical care. Authorities confirmed that all five injured teenagers had been invited to attend the supervised gathering.

The investigation has led to multiple arrests. A 16-year-old from Southampton was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Additionally, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, also from Southampton, were held on Monday morning and granted an extra 36 hours for questioning on the same suspicion. On Monday night, a 16-year-old boy from Bristol was arrested and remains in custody.

Witnesses told the BBC that a fight erupted after a group entered the property over the fence, though the specific motive for the stabbings remains unclear. One teenager described seeing an acquaintance pull up their shirt to reveal a stab wound before later finding them lying outside with someone compressing the injury. Another witness reported hearing shouting and a subsequent fight, followed by the host's father instructing everyone to leave as they discovered an injured person on the floor.

Police have cordoned off sections of Park Road and the adjoining Valley Road. Officers conducted searches at three addresses linked to the suspects, including two in Southampton and one in Bristol, seizing several items that are part of the ongoing investigation. Hampshire Police stated that numerous witnesses have already come forward and urged anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to contact them.

In response to the incident, two local churches in Chandler's Ford have opened their doors to offer support. St Boniface on Hursley Road is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, while St Martin in the Wood on Queen's Road will be available on Wednesday between 15:00 and 17:00.

Sources: BBC News UK.