Police have arrested a man after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed to death in broad daylight in the Dutch town of Nieuwegein. 

The incident happened at around 3pm local time, 2pm British time, on Saturday  – with local reports suggesting the victim was in the street in the city of Utrecht, about 30 miles from the capital Amsterdam, when she was stabbed. 

Emergency services were called to the scene but were unable to save her life, police have said. 

A 29-year-old man has been arrested, and ANP news agency reported that police confirmed the suspect was originally from Syria. 

The agency said that police are investigating reports that the suspect had been acting ‘confused’ in the week prior to the attack. 

They did not indicate any motivation for the attack. 

A statement from Utrecht regional police read: ‘In the immediate vicinity, the police arrested a 29-year-old suspect based on information from bystanders and others’. 

Images taken at the scene on Sunday show police inspecting a shed roof near the site. Officers were seen collecting what appeared to be a knife from the roof. 

Floral tributes have already began to gather at the site of the attack, with images showing a collection of flowers, teddy bears and cards. 

Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands and is home to Utrecht University, the largest university in the country, as well as several other institutions of higher education.

Due to its central position within the country, it is an important hub for both rail and road transport and has the busiest railway station in the Netherlands.