A suspected knifeman has been arrested after a young woman was stabbed on a major London high street.

The victim, in her 20s, was rushed to hospital after being knifed on Kilburn High Street while a man in his 50s, who police said is known to the woman, also suffered a "slash wound" to his hand.

Metropolitan Police officers attended the scene and arrested a 21-year-old man for possession of an offensive weapon and grievous bodily harm. The man is thought to have had a history of carrying blades, and was first taken to hospital before going to custody for questioning by officers.

Images posted on social media show a huge police presence outside the Old Bell pub on Kilburn High Road. Witnesses told how a man got involved and rushed to defend her after she had been attacked. The man is said to have tried to ram the knifeman with his car. Another witness who helped the woman said she suffered wounds to her foot.

Police and ambulance crews rushed to area adding tape to cordon off the crime scene near The Old Bell pub at around 12.01pm. The road was closed in both directions as officers preserved evidence at the scene.

Police and ambulance crews scrambled to area with tape cordoning off the crime scene (
Image:
Ben Cawthra/LNP)

A Met Police spokesperson said: "On Thursday, 25 April, police were called to Kilburn High Road at 12:04hrs to reports of a stabbing. Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service (LAS) who treated a woman with stab wounds. The woman, in her 20s, has been taken to hospital. Her condition has been assessed as non life-threatening.

"Further enquiries found that a man, in his 50s, had suffered a slash wound to his hand. He was taken to hospital. His condition has been assessed as non life-threatening. The man and woman are known to each other. A 21-year old man has been arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and GBH. He has been taken to hospital before being taken into custody."

A London ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 12:01pm today (April 25) to reports of a stabbing opposite Kilburn High Road Station, NW6. We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, and an incident response officer. Our first paramedic was on the scene in under five minutes. We treated two people at the scene. We took one patient to a major trauma centre and one to hospital."