Summary

  • Four men have been taken to hospital after police were called to reports of a stabbing in London's Covent Garden

  • The Met says a 47-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault - read the statement in full

  • An air ambulance was sent to the scene, landing in nearby Trafalgar Square - victims were taken to a major trauma centre by road

  • Police say they were called at around 12:27 BST to Endell Street in the West End and officers "remain at the scene"

  • The men, aged 34, 39, 42, and 52, were found with stab wounds - there is yet to be an update on their condition

Live Reporting

Edited by Imogen James and Sam Hancock, with Manish Pandey and Nick Johnson reporting from the scene

  1. Covent Garden area 'busier' than usual today, local employee says

    Manish Pandey
    Reporting from the scene

    Tim Keates pictured with a paint bucket. He is wearing glasses

    Tim Keates, a painter working on a salon, says he has been in the area since 11:30.

    He tells me he didn’t realise something had happened until police cordoned off the intersection.

    Keates, 61, says he saw a number of police and dozens of paramedics, but not the incident itself.

    Members of the public would approach the cordon down the road and then turn back and walk past him.

    He has been working in the area since the start of the week and says it is “busier” in the streets today than on previous days.

  2. Tourists saw emergency teams arrive as man placed in ambulance

    Nick Johnson
    Reporting from the scene

    Lottie Johnson and Ben Ormonde

    Lottie Johnson and Ben Ormonde are visiting the capital for the day.

    They were sat on a bench at about 12:30, when they saw police cars, incident response vehicles and paramedics arrive on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street.

    “There were so many emergency services arriving” they said.

    “We could see a man being assessed by ambulance crews - he was walking and didn’t outwardly appear injured, we couldn’t see blood, but he was put inside the ambulance”.

  3. Woman saw person in bandages taken into ambulance

    Manish Pandey
    Reporting from the scene

    A woman looks at the camera and holds her bag strap on the shoulder

    I’ve just spoken to Angel Daden.

    She was in a spin class at Oasis Sports Centre when someone came in and told her “people are being stabbed outside”.

    Angel, 55, says she came outside for “a quick look” and saw a bandaged person heading into an ambulance.

    But she didn’t see who was carrying out the attack.

    Angel tells me she hasn’t experienced something like this in the 18 years she’s lived in the area.

  4. Pedestrians moving through area after cordon removed

    Nick Johnson
    Reporting from the scene

    Street in Covent Garden after cordon removed

    In the past few minutes, police have removed their cordon and reopened the area to traffic and pedestrians.

    Much of the police activity has been focused on a building on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street which belongs to the homeless charity, St Mungo’s.

  5. Police cordon removed - but helicopter can still be heard above

    Manish Pandey
    Reporting from the scene

    Scene at Covent Garden with the police corden removed following reports of a stabbing

    A police cordon near the scene has been removed and people are now able to walk through as normal.

    Officers are telling members of the public that things are under control.

    The sound of a helicopter overhead remains.

  6. Watch: Air ambulance takes off from Trafalgar Square

    Earlier today, an air ambulance could be seen taking off from Trafalgar Square, with a large crowd gathered in the tourist hot spot.

    The air ambulance departed with no patients on board - they were ultimately transported to hospital by road.

    Watch: London Air Ambulance takes off from Trafalgar Square

  7. Police seen in Covent Garden after stabbing arrest

    There is a large police presence in Covent Garden after four men were taken to hospital with stab wounds.

    The Metropolitan Police says a 47-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

    The force says its officers will remain in the vicinity, with a crime scene in place on Endell Street and the surrounding area.

    police officers near the scene on Endell Street in Covent Garden, central London, after four men were stabbedPA Media
    Emergency services near the scene on Endell Street in Covent Garden, central London, after four men were stabbed.PA Media
    Emergency services near the scene on Endell Street in Covent Garden, central London, after four men were stabbed.PA Media

  8. Air ambulance pictured landing in Trafalgar Square earlier

    A red helicopter lands in London's Trafalgar SquareLBC

    London's Air Ambulance was earlier seen landing in Trafalgar Square following reports of the stabbing.

    Emergency crews say it was dispatched as part of their response, but that four patients were ultimately transported to hospital by road.

  9. 'Police remain in area' - Met's statement in full

    Here's what the Metropolitan Police has said:

    "At around 12:27hrs on Wednesday, 5 August, police were called to reports of stabbing on Endell Street, Covent Garden.

    "Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance.

    Four men - aged 34, 39, 42, and 52 - were found with stab wounds and assessed at the scene by paramedics. They have since been taken to hospital and we await an update on their injuries.

    "A 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She was taken to custody where she remains.

    "Police remain in the area, with a scene in place on Endell Street and the surrounding areas in Covent Garden."

  10. Ambulance service says four treated at scene

    The London Ambulance service says an ambulance crew, a paramedic, an incident response officer and London’s Air Ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

    "We were called at 12:29pm today (5 August) to reports of a stabbing on Endell Street," the service says in a statement.

    "We treated four patients at the scene and took them all to a major trauma centre as a priority by road."

  11. Four men stabbed and woman arrested in Covent Garden
    Breaking

    Four men have been stabbed and taken to hospital after police were called to reports of a stabbing in Covent Garden in central London.

    A woman, aged 47, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

    The incident took place on Endell Street and police say they will remain in the area.

    We'll bring you more on this story as we get it.