Eight stabbed in party brawl

Eight people have been stabbed during a party at a Melbourne soccer club which was gatecrashed by youths armed with knives and machetes. Three of the eight are still in hospital after they were wounded when a group of up to 30 youths gatecrashed a party at the St Albans Saints' Soccer Club, in Fox Road, St Albans, in Melbourne's north-west, about 10.50pm (AEST) yesterday, Victoria Police said.

"It is believed a large brawl ensued and the intruding group produced a range of knives and machetes," a police spokeswoman said.

"The offending group then fled the scene," she said.

Of the three, a 15-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital with a stab wound to the stomach, and was in a stable condition today.

A 17-year-old boy was also taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital with stab wounds, while a 14-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Children's hospital. Police said another five people at the party received minor stab wounds. Three of those were later treated at the Western hospital as outpatients and two were treated by paramedics at the scene of the brawl.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the attack to contact them.