Three stabbed in fight near kebab shop visited by Home Secretary

Three men have been stabbed outside a kebab shop that the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, used as proof she is not afraid to walk the streets of London.

The men, aged 29, 30 and 41, are recovering in hospital after the attack close to the entrance to Katie's Kebabs in Peckham Hill Street, south London.

Ms Smith told The Sunday Times in January that she would not be comfortable after dark, even in affluent parts of the capital such as Kensington and Chelsea. But in an effort to contain the fallout from her comments, one of Ms Smith's aides revealed that she had popped out for a kebab in Peckham.

Staff at Katie's later disclosed that the Home Secretary, who has permanent police protection, had called in for a £3.90 doner kebab.

The three men were injured – one seriously – during a fight outside a barber's shop next door to the kebab outlet. A 28-year-old man has been arrested and was being held at a police station in south London last night, a Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed.

He added that the incident took place shortly before 8pm on Wednesday evening.

The 41-year-old and the 29-year-old were described as being in a stable condition while the 30-year-old was said to have serious injuries which were not thought to be life-threatening.