MERSEYSIDE Police want to see the Newz Bar closed for good after two men were seriously injured in a vicious knife attack believed to have involved “prominent criminals”.

The force described the number of times the Water Street haunt had been before licensing bosses as “unprecedented”.

And they said a week before the attack the management was shown a photograph of a man now believed to have been responsible for the stabbings.

Minutes of a licensing meeting held in secret days after the incident reveal Merseyside Police licensing PC Stuart Moore said management “ignored police advice and let the male into the premises”.

And he said door staff failed to preserve the crime scene even though they knew they needed to.

The first man suffered stab wounds to his face, back and arm. He suffered a slash wound to his left bicep, a cut to his eye, a large cut to the bridge of his nose and another to his left cheek, in the January 28 attack.

He also received a cut to his left wrist and several slashes on his back which needed stitches.

But when the manager asked door staff what happened he was told the man was headbutted.

The second man suffered facial injuries.

Both took themselves to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in the early hours of January 29 where they were treated for their injuries..

Police are now scouring CCTV in a bid to try to catch those responsible.