London stabbings: Two people knifed to death in first six hours of 2019

Security guard knifed to death outside New Year's Eve party less than two hours after woman fatally stabbed in south London

Two people have been stabbed to death in London in the first six hours of 2019.

The Metropolitan Police has launched separate murder investigations after fatal knife attacks in Camberwell, south London, and the West End in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Murders in the capital hit a 10-year high in 2018.

Police were called by paramedics to a stabbing at a property in John Ruskin Street, Camberwell, at 4.20am on Tuesday. A woman aged in her early thirties was pronounced dead half an hour later. A 34-year-old man has been arrested.

Officers were called to reports of another knife attack outside a New Year’s Eve party in Park Lane, Westminster, at 5.35am.

A man in his early thirties, thought to be a security guard at the private event, was found with stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at 6.05am.

Two other men, aged 37 and 29, and a 29-year-old woman were also stabbed. They were taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life threatening.

Detective chief inspector Andy Partridge said: “It appears the deceased and the two injured males were working as security staff for the party, they were attacked by a group of males who were outside trying to enter the venue. The female was also attacked as she assisted the security staff in closing the front door of the premises.

“This shocking incident happened just hours into a New Year, the area was particularly busy with people out celebrating and making their way home from various parties and organised events.”

No arrests have been made in connection to the West End stabbing. Police have appealed for witnesses, some of whom are thought to have filmed the attack on mobile phones, to come forward.

Neither of those killed have been formally identified.

Scotland Yard recorded 134 homicides in London last year, the highest murder rate since 2008 and a 15 per cent rise from 2017. Twenty-four of the victims were aged 19 or younger.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said this week that tackling street violence was “number one priority”.

Amid growing anger over a spate of murders in the spring, police and City Hall last year set up a Violent Crime Taskforce that has since seized more than 500 guns, 2,000 knives and 900 other weapons.