Two teenage girls are in hospital after both being "stabbed in the back" in broad daylight in West Norwood.

Horrified eye witnesses told how the girls - aged 16 and 17 - were covered in blood as they were treated by paramedics at a bus stop on Norwood Road on Sunday afternoon.

They were taken to hospital, where the younger girl remains in a "serious but stable" condition, while the older girl's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

News Shopper:

Police say four teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remain in custody.

Local residents said the girls were stabbed outside a car wash at around 4.40pm, and an air ambulance landed on the roof of a nearby B&Q store.

Nawaz Mohammad, 64, who owns a shop near the scene, said: "I was inside the shop and then I heard some shouting.

"There were two girls there at the bus stop who had been stabbed in the back.

"One was lying on the floor and the ambulance people were treating her wounds.

"The other was sitting at the bus stop. Then they put them in the ambulance and took them away.

"I think it happened at the back - where there's a car wash and a garage."

The double stabbing was one of several violent incidents on the streets of London over the weekend.

Fares Maatou, 14, became the eleventh and youngest teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital already this year when he was fatally knifed in Canning Town, east London.

Another 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and was due to appear in court today.

A 22-year-old man was left fighting for his life after being stabbed during a street fight in Deptford on Friday night.

A 19-year-old lad was shot and another 19-year-old stabbed in a double attack in Hackney, east London, on Saturday night.

Detectives investigating the West Norwood double stabbing are appealing for anyone with any information to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Rob Merrett, of the Met's Central South Command Unit, said: "This is a shocking incident involving two young female victims, one of whom remains seriously ill in hospital.

"It has understandably caused considerable alarm in the community.

"Officers responded immediately when the 999 call was received. Two boys were quickly apprehended near the scene, and urgent enquiries led to two other males being arrested later on at addresses in Lambeth.

"All four are now in custody and my team are conducting a thorough investigation to establish what has led to this unacceptable violence.

"I urge anyone who has information, pictures and video that could assist us to make contact immediately.

"It is imperative that we work with the community to fully establish what has happened here and bring any offenders to justice."