One of the men stabbed in West Street, Drogheda on Friday night says he was unable to defend himself because the attack happened so quickly. Mark Nutley was among seven people injured when a teenager went on a stabbing frenzy after being refused admission to a pub. Nutley's brother Paddy was also injured.

Nutley, 23, told the Sunday Tribune yesterday: "There was a group of us. We had just left the Laurence's Inn pub and we were walking over the town to get some food when it happened. A fella who I didn't know came over and put his arm around me and the next thing I could feel the knife in my back. I didn't know what was happening. There was a couple of us stabbed. He just ran around with the knife slashing us. It's all a blur."

Mark and Paddy Nutley were out celebrating Paddy's 20th birthday when the incident happened. Paddy had surgery in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital after the attack while Mark was released with minor injuries a couple of hours later.

Speaking from his home in the Highlands, Drogheda, Mark added: "I'm OK. The pain isn't too bad at the moment because I am on medication. My brother Paddy was operated on this morning at six o'clock. As far as I know he is doing OK.

"We were just out enjoying ourselves. It was Paddy's birthday and we had a few pints. The fella just came up. We had no time to protect ourselves. I didn't realise what was happening, it was so fast. I'm just shocked. I just felt the knife coming in."

It is understood the alleged attacker, a teenager, had arrived at the Laurence Inn with a pint in his hand after being in another pub.

"After being refused admission he attempted to throw a flowerpot through the window of the pub but was restrained by doormen," said a spokesman for the pub. "He then produced a knife and ran down the street randomly slashing people. It was awful."

According to eyewitnesses, the alleged attacker then jumped into a taxi bus belonging to Elite Cabs. He put the knife on the seat beside him before jumping out again, where he was apprehended by a group of taxi-drivers and a doorman from another pub.

A 17-year-old was arrested and was being held in Drogheda garda station last night.

One of the victims was in critical condition in hospital.

One of the men stabbed in West Street, Drogheda on Friday night says he was unable to defend himself because the attack happened so quickly. Mark Nutley was among seven people injured when a teenager went on a stabbing frenzy after being refused admission to a pub. Nutley's brother Paddy was also injured.

Nutley, 23, told the Sunday Tribune yesterday: "There was a group of us. We had just left the Laurence's Inn pub and we were walking over the town to get some food when it happened. A fella who I didn't know came over and put his arm around me and the next thing I could feel the knife in my back. I didn't know what was happening. There was a couple of us stabbed. He just ran around with the knife slashing us. It's all a blur."

Mark and Paddy Nutley were out celebrating Paddy's 20th birthday when the incident happened. Paddy had surgery in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital after the attack while Mark was released with minor injuries a couple of hours later.

Speaking from his home in the Highlands, Drogheda, Mark added: "I'm OK. The pain isn't too bad at the moment because I am on medication. My brother Paddy was operated on this morning at six o'clock. As far as I know he is doing OK.

"We were just out enjoying ourselves. It was Paddy's birthday and we had a few pints. The fella just came up. We had no time to protect ourselves. I didn't realise what was happening, it was so fast. I'm just shocked. I just felt the knife coming in."

It is understood the alleged attacker, a teenager, had arrived at the Laurence Inn with a pint in his hand after being in another pub.

"After being refused admission he attempted to throw a flowerpot through the window of the pub but was restrained by doormen," said a spokesman for the pub. "He then produced a knife and ran down the street randomly slashing people. It was awful."

According to eyewitnesses, the alleged attacker then jumped into a taxi bus belonging to Elite Cabs. He put the knife on the seat beside him before jumping out again, where he was apprehended by a group of taxi-drivers and a doorman from another pub.

A 17-year-old was arrested and was being held in Drogheda garda station last night.

One of the victims was in critical condition in hospital.