UPDATE: ‘Self-harming’ knife incident leaves man in ‘very serious condition’ in Steyning woods

Emergency services including Sussex Air Ambulance were called to the scene off Steyning Round Hill at around 3.30pm.

Reports of a 23-year-old man who had received a knife injury to his chest sparked a major search operation.

The initial call had come from a member of the public.

A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), which sent four units, said paramedics were hiking and calling out for him.

He said: “It was lengthy in terms of the search for him.

“A 23-year-old man had suffered an injury to his chest, believed to be from a knife.”

The man was found around 30 minutes away from the roadside.

Paramedics performed emergency treatment at the scene before he was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The spokesperson added: “He was in a very serious condition because of the time it took to locate him.”

SECAmb left the scene just after 7pm.

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: “Emergency services were called after a report of a man who had self-harmed in Steyning Round Hill at 3.32pm on Monday.

“After a search of the area by officers, the 23-year-old man was found with a stab wound and taken to hospital by ambulance where he in a stable condition.”