Man arrested over sword incident

The sword is being held as evidence

A 51-year-old man is in police custody after a sword was used in a dispute.

The incident happened in Varteg near Pontypool in Gwent on Wednesday.

A 34-year-old man is still in Morriston Hospital where he underwent micro surgery for injuries to his arms.

The 51-year-old discharged himself from Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny last night, where he had received 300 stitches for head wounds.

Police were called to a house in Varteg

He was arrested by Gwent Police and is being held at Newport Police Station where he will be questioned later on Thursday.

He has since discharged himself from hospital, but the other man is undergoing micro surgery for cuts and bites to his arms.

The sword was being held as evidence at Pontypool Police Station after its part in a fight which left two men seriously injured.

On Tuesday night, officers were called to Varteg near Pontypool, to deal with a man with severe cuts to his arms.

Covered in blood, he had gone into a house to get help while they were attending to him, another man came to the door.

"As the officers came to the door they were approached by a male wielding a 3ft long double-edged sword," said Detective Inspector Mike Jones of Gwent Police.

"They spoke with him and tried to negotiate with him asking him to put the weapon down and surrender himself.

One of the men underwent micro-surgery at Morriston

"He failed to respond to their requests. The officers then were forced to use CS spray on him.

"They sprayed him twice. This, again, appeared to have no effect on him, resulting in one of the officers striking him towards the legs with a police baton.

"The man fell to the floor, he was then disarmed and arrested. Their actions were very brave indeed when they were confronted with man waving a weapon of this description."

Officers have spent hours questioning witnesses but have said they still do not know the reason for such a violent fight.

They are still waiting to speak to the two men involved.