Large street fight in Croydon ended with schoolboy stabbed in neck

A huge street fight in south London on Friday (3 February) ended with a 14-year-old boy being stabbed in the neck. Officers were performing a routine patrol in the borough at around 4.30pm when they came across youths – some of whom were reportedly in school uniforms – in a large-scale fight at Poplar Walk.

A boy sustained a stab wound during the melee and administered first aid until the arrival of the London Ambulance Service.

London's Air Ambulance also attended the scene, before the injured boy was taken to a south London hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

Four teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of affray on a Route 198 bus in nearby London Road, near the junction with Montague Road, and have since been bailed to a date in late March pending further enquiries.

A weapon was found and recovered in West Croydon Bus Station, it will be sent for forensic examination to see if it is connected to the attack.

Croydon town centre was very busy with people at the time of the attack and police are appealing for witnesses to the incident or events afterwards.

The disturbance comes months after a massive brawl involving school pupils in Northumberland Heath, south London. Seven people were arrested after a double stabbing happened during the violence involving approximately 100 youths in September 2016.

Witnesses reported many of those involved were wearing school uniforms with their hoods up while footage posted on Snapchat showed a black youth being stamped on and battered with a stick.

Anyone that can assist the investigation can contact Trident detectives via 101, or by tweeting @MetCC. To give information anonymously Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111 or at www.crimestoppers-uk.org