A security guard who helped save the life of a stabbing victim has called for action to prevent a rising tide of crime.

Matthew Smirthwaite, 40, was working in Gillingham High Street when he saw the attack on the teenager.

Witnesses spoke of how the 17-year-old boy was left covered in blood after the incident just before 5pm on Thursday.

Police, who say the victim is in a "serious but stable condition" in a London hospital, revealed Saturday morning that they had made five arrests for attempted murder.

The fact the victim has a chance of recovery is down to the swift actions of Mr Smirthwaite, a first-aider who helped stem the flow of blood before ambulance crews arrived.

"I saw one guy on his own arguing with three males," he said. "I saw him go to the ground and another guy ran off.

"I just saw they had black weapons, but I didn't know what they were. Then I saw a knife when he ran past me

"It happened outside Savers but I sat him by the window at Wilkos.

"It's my job as a first aider, I just applied pressure to the wound I saw on his arm."

Mr Smirthwaite said there needed to be a stronger police presence in the high street to stop what he believed was a growing problem with youth crime.

But he said the police themselves needed more support and funding to take effective action; while those involved needed to take action and change their lives.

"There's too many people walking around in this high street pretending to be in gangs, acting all big and hard because they're with a bunch of mates.

"It needs to stop and they need to grow up, it's not worth going around with weapons trying to kill each other, just grow up, live your life.

"That young lad, from what I've been told, is not going to be able to use his arm, not properly anyway. What was the point? He was lucky that I was literally at work, I was supposed to be my day off and I'm a first aider as well. So if it wasn't for me, he would have lost his life.

"It is getting worse, I thought Chatham was bad but as soon as I started working here I've realised Gillingham is worse.

"The government needs to give more power to the police to stop this happening, or if not stop it, minimise it so it becomes a rare occurrence not a regular occurence. Any powers that they need to stop it.

"With the government doing the tax cuts to the police force, they're understaffed."

Meanwhile police have issued further information as they appeal for more witnesses to the attack.

They say a teenage boy was speaking to four men outside a shop when he was assaulted; and that the suspects were known to the victim.

They are described as black and were wearing dark clothing; two of them wearing black balaclavas.

Another, who may have been using an electric scooter, had hair described as being in a large afro-style and was wearing a dark green jacket and jeans. They fled the scene following the incident towards Green Street.

Another witness Terry Howard saw the aftermath of the attack and helped clean up the blood.

"I saw him lean up against there and flop down and that was it," he said. "By the time I came over here, the security guard over here was out.

"I came out and looked at the fella and said ‘you alright.'

"They put tape around, and I was on this side of the tape because I was putting the blue roll down. Poor fellow, mate. I see him all the time.

"The problem around here it involves gangs. They're coming up from London. They're serving up, they're doing this, they're doing that."

Gillingham Salvation Army representatives were also out in the High Street the afternoon of stabbing, in an effort to help anyone affected.

And they were back on the scene the following day in a show of support to the community.

"We saw on social media that there had been a stabbing in the high street," said Lieutenant Martin Belshaw, Salvation Army officer. "We happened to be coming down to the building anyway so took a wander along to make sure everybody was ok.

"Obviously by that time everything had cleared. It was just police cleaning the scene so we left and offered the support we could.

"It's a very tragic situation to discover that there was a stabbing in the high street. It's not a good thing."

"We know some of the witnesses at the scene so we supported them just pastorally and offered that listening ear to those who may have been impacted by what they've seen or heard or whatever the situation is."

Lieutenant Belshaw said the incident was potentially tragic, but said Gillingham remained "a great place", and it was important not to condemn the area.

"I'm not so sure about gangs but it's definitely youths and anti-social behaviour – that's well known along the high street.

"It's senseless – it could've been over anything, and we don't know the details but it's tragic for everybody involved.

"We are trying to get that message out to say we're here for people in this situation, but we also have hope that actually this isn't reflective of the way Gillingham is going

"Gillingham is a great place and we want to reflect that as much as anything else in this message – but we recognise this has happened and we need to be there for people in this situation."

"I'm more worried about the fact I don't want this to become a regular occurrence. We've been here since September, this is the first incident we've seen or heard on the high street certainly of this nature so it's not a common occurrence

"It's just ensuring people that Gillingham is a good place, a safe place but if you do see something please report to the police, don't be afraid to do that it's what they're there for and be mindful when you're out and about. I just hope this doesn't repeat itself soon."