An “escalating” level of knife crime has led to five stabbings in the last three weeks in Greenwich.

City Hall has announced an immediate probe into the increase in violence in London, especially focusing on the Mayor’s knife-crime strategy and campaigns against violent crime.

So far this year, there have been at least 20 reported stabbings in south east London – including a double attack last week on (May 10) in Plumstead.

Following the sharp rise in violence in the borough, a spokesman for Greenwich Council said knife crime has been listed as a top priority.

A spokesman said: “The council is hugely concerned with the upward trend in knife crime in the Royal Borough which is in line with the rise across London so our joint work with the police on our Knife Action Plan is now our top priority.

“Knife crime has devastating consequences for all our communities and we know that young people, who are tragically so often the victims, are also over represented as offenders in the borough.

The causes of knife crime amongst the young are complex which is why we are committed to a multi-faceted approach to address the root causes of youth violence.

“The borough wide Knife Crime Action Plan includes work by the police to target known offenders and carry out weapon sweeps through to preventative work at schools and listening to the views of parents and young people.”

An interactive map showing all the stabbings in SE London reported on by News Shopper so far in 2018

Matthew Pennycook, MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, has written to the Home Office to press for more to be done to stop the escalating levels of knife crime in the borough.

He wrote: “On May 10, following an altercation near Plumstead railway station, a teenager was found on Walmer Terrace with four stab wounds to the chest and another wounded participant fled by car to the neighbouring borough of Bexley.

“This was just the latest incident of youth violence that has taken place in my constituency over recent months, and, if anything, the frequency appears to be increasing.

“We cannot go on like this. Young lives are being irreparably damaged and in some cases lost.”

Mr Pennycook asked what more the department can do in terms of funding to prevent further attacks ahead of the long summer nights.

Two men are in custody following the attack on Thursday, which hospitalised both victims.

There have been 36 fatal stabbings across the capital this year, with 62 murders in total.