Woman followed into lift and stabbed repeatedly by man in north London

Police appeal for witnesses who may have seen a suspicious male near block of flats

Wimbourne Court in Hoxton, where a woman was stabbed on Thursday afternoon (Google)

A 41 year-old woman was followed into a lift and repeatedly stabbed in the chest and stomach in north London as a surge in knife crime continues.

The victim was left in a serious condition in hospital after being attacked by a man at a block of flats in Hoxton on Thursday afternoon.

Detectives believe the suspect may have been hanging around the area of Wimbourne Court in the days leading up to the stabbing.

Appealing for witnesses and information, Detective Sergeant Barry Hart said: "We have established that the woman was stabbed in the lift of a block of flats by a male suspect.

"It is possible that this male suspect has been hanging around the block - Wimbourne Court, off Wimbourne Street and Shaftesbury Street in Hoxton - both immediately before and in the days leading up to the stabbing.

"We need to hear from anyone who has seen a suspicious male in and around Wimbourne Court, as well as anyone with information that may assist the investigation."

The woman's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Knife crime in England and Wales is at its highest since comparable figures began in 2011 and London generally accounts for just over a third of all knife offences.

The latest available statistics, for the year to September 2017, show 37,443 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument, a 21 per cent increase on the previous year.

So far this year 37 people have been stabbed to death in London and latest victim was 18 year-old Sami Sidhom, who was stabbed to death in Forest Gate on Monday.

Last year around 80 people - not including the terror attacks at London Bridge and Westminster - were stabbed to death in the capital.

Concern over rising knife crime led to the government setting up a Serious Violence Task Force earlier this month.

No arrests have yet been made in relation to the Hoxton stabbing.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call detectives at Hackney CID on 020 7275 3410 or via 101.