A man has been arrested after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed to death in a town in the Netherlands.

Dutch police have said the emergency services were called to the town of Nieuwegein after the stabbing at about 3pm local time (2pm GMT) on Saturday (February 1).

Despite their best efforts, paramedics were unable to save the girl’s life.

Neighbours told Dutch daily the Telegraaf that the girl was from Eritrea and had celebrated her birthday the day before she died.

The youngster may have been targeted at random, according to Dutch media outlet ANP, citing an interview with a police source on local radio.

ANP said police were investigating reports the suspect had been acting in a confused manner in the week leading up to the attack. They did not speculate on the motivation.

Initial reports had suggested the suspect was Syrian, but Dutch police confirmed on Sunday that he has Dutch-Moroccan nationality.

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 from the scene show forensic police officers retrieving a knife from the roof of a shed at the scene.

Floral tributes, cards and soft toys have been laid at the scene in Nieuwegein, which is a town in the Dutch province of Utrecht about 28 miles south of Amsterdam.