A young man burst into Traditions Restaurant in Southampton frantically demanding that staff lock the door and call the Police.

Another young man lay stabbed and bleeding in a bus stop across the street.

That was the scene around noon on Saturday following a violent altercation between two teenagers. It left a 17-year-old Sandys resident with "serious stab wounds" to his upper body. A 17-year-old St. George's resident was subsequently arrested.

Police have not released the name of either teenager.

A passer-by took the Sandys resident to Port Royal Fire Station where he was treated by emergency medical technicians. He was then rushed via ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

Yesterday he was listed in a "satisfactory and stable" condition in the Intensive Care Unit.

The St. George's resident has been released on Police bail.

Staff members at Traditions, a popular eatery on Middle Road, expressed their shock at Saturday's events.

"All of a sudden this boy burst in here, slammed the door, locked it and demanded that we call the Police," said an employee who was working at the time. "We didn't know what to think; we were all pretty startled."

According to eyewitnesses, the St. George's resident used the restaurant telephone and called Police himself. He then sat and waited for officers to arrive.

"One of our regular customers came in right after him," said another employee. "He told the boy that he had seen a blade in his hand before he came running into the restaurant. He told the boy that he was going to tell the Police about the blade when they arrived. The boy didn't object."

Witnesses say a woman they believe was the teenager's mother, arrived shortly after he appeared.

"They spoke for a minute and then went into the bathroom together," said one man. "They were only in there for a few moments before they both came back out. She left quickly and he sat back down and waited for the Police to arrive."

Witnesses claim the woman left the restaurant before Police arrived a "matter of minutes" later.

According to those present, officers questioned the boy and searched the restaurant and surrounding area for a knife but found nothing.

This newspaper understands the victim works part-time at Port Royal Gas Station. A co-worker said the teenager was working that morning, and left on a break shortly before the incident occurred.

Details of what sparked the incident are unclear but one witness said she believed that the Sandys teenager had confronted the St. George's teenager about a theft.

She said: "The St. George's boy claimed that the knife had belonged to the Sandys boy and he had managed to disarm him. He said he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed him."

Eyewitnesses said the Sandys resident was first treated by an off-duty firefighter at the fire station, before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Yesterday, Police continued their appeal for witnesses.

"This serious assault happened during the day on a busy stretch of road," said a spokesperson. "Police are interested in speaking with any motorists travelling through the area around the time of the incident; anyone who may have seen an altercation between two or three men in the bus lay-by across from Traditions Restaurant or in the vicinity of the Port Royal Esso Service Station."

Persons with information are asked to contact the Western Criminal Investigation Unit on 234-1010.