A man was rushed to hospital after he was stabbed following an argument over cigarettes in Sutton High Street, witnesses have said.

Paramedics and police arrived at a car park in Lodge Place, off Sutton High Street, after a man was stabbed at about 5.30pm on Tuesday, November 22.

The 24-year-old victim was then taken to a south London hospital and was said to be in a stable condition this morning.

Two boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and were taken to a south London police station where they remain in custody.

Your Local Guardian:

Police cordoned off Manor Place and Lodge Place and it was still in place at 9.20am this morning.

Ahmed Aziz said, an employee at Xchange Point Pluss, said: “Three guys chased one guy and then they were arguing and said come to this side because there is no cameras.

“Two minutes later the other guy just left his bicycle on the High Street in front of Footlocker and they went through to Farmfoods, after that I don’t know.

“Between 5pm and 5.30pm it was not too busy, everything was closing down.

"But there was a group of ten to twelve kids who were between 14 and 15 years old and there was a guy with a knife with them.

"It was the guy with the knife who left his bike on the high street next to FarmFoods.

“Sutton is no longer safe.”

MORE: Police seek to reassure residents after Sutton stabbing

Another witness told the Sutton Guardian: “Four men were arguing outside Cash Converters about cigarettes, from what I could hear.

“They then went up the High Street and two of the four men got stabbed and were rushed to hospital.”

An employee at JD Sports, who did not want to be named, said: “None of the kids were wearing school uniforms which made me think it was a planned thing because not wearing one would make it harder to identify them.

“I just saw the man who got stabbed drop to the floor and a ruck of people all came towards him. I do think it is quite rough around here, but I would never think that I would ever witness a stabbing.

“It is not as safe as it used to be around here.”

It is the second attack in the High Street in two weeks after a man was left fighting for his life following an assault that led to him suffering a life-threatening head injury at about 12.38am on Monday, November 14.

If anyone has any information, contact Sutton CID on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Did you see what happened? Email anders.anglesey@london.newsquest.co.uk, or call 020 8722 6358.