TWO teenage boys have received life-threatening injuries after they were stabbed by a group of men in Mountblow.

The 15-year-olds were with two other friends, aged 15 and 18, when they were attacked near a lane running from Great Western Road towards the Auchentoshan Estate at around 1.30am on Saturday, November 21.

Two of the group remain in a stable condition in hospital while the 18-year-old and a 15-year-old were released following treatment.

Police remained at the scene on Monday as investigations continued, with officers believing the teens had been “intentionally targeted” during the assault.

A woman working nearby, who did not want to be named, told the Post: “It’s absolutely shocking.

“It’s usually so quiet around here. Sometimes kids pass through but that’s it.

“There was a police presence all day on Sunday as they obviously got on with their investigations. It’s a terrible thing to happen.”

Clydebank Post: Crime sceneCrime scene
ATTACKS: On Monday tape still remained on the entrance to the woodland pathway.

The lane cuts through a quiet area of woodland. It connects Great Western Road, one of the main commuter routes heading west out of Glasgow, with the peaceful Auchentoshan Estate.

Detective Sergeant Darren Munogee of Clydebank CID said: “This type of violence will not be tolerated on our streets and I would offer reassurance to the public that we are doing all we can to trace the people responsible. Although the exact motive is still to be ascertained, we believe that the victims were intentionally targeted. 

“We have a dedicated team that will trace the persons responsible. Our enquiries are continuing. We have utilised specialist search and forensic teams and are continuing to analyse available CCTV. We have increased our high visibility patrols in the area and officers are continuing to conduct door to door enquiries.

“At this time, We are seeking the assistance of the public. If you have any information regarding the people responsible or if you heard a disturbance in the area in the early hours of Saturday morning please get in contact.

"Violence of this nature will not be tolerated and we need your help to trace those people responsible and hold them to account.” 

An investigation is underway after the incident and anyone with information is urged to contact detectives at Clydebank on the non-emergency number, 101. Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.

The incident came despite figures released earlier this year revealing the number of crimes involving offensive weapons fell by 69 per cent in West Dunbartonshire in the past eight years. In 2006-07, around 300 crimes of handling an offensive weapon were recorded, falling to 94 in 2014-15.

The figures, published by Police Scotland, also revealed West Dunbartonshire has the highest crime rate per head of population in Scotland outside the four major cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. There were 559 crimes per 10,000 of population last year – 80 more than the Scottish average.

Of these 16 were non-sexual crimes of violence such as attempted murder, assault and robbery; 19 were sexual crimes; 205 were crimes of dishonesty such as housebreaking, theft and shoplifting; 128 were fire-raising and vandalism and 190 were classified as other, including drugs and knife crime.

The mixed picture for the region continued as it was revealed recorded crime in West Dunbartonshire dropped by 45 per cent over the same period.