Manhunt under way following series of London stabbings

A police manhunt is under way after a series of stabbings in north London.

Scotland Yard officers are urgently trying to trace the single male suspect following four stabbings in the Edmonton area.

The suspect is described as a black man, approximately 6ft 3ins, of skinny build and wearing dark clothing, possibly a hooded top.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Smillie from North Area Command said: "Police are treating the four stabbing related incidents as potentially linked.

"The four victims are all from different backgrounds and appear to have been selected at random due to them being alone and vulnerable.

"There is nothing to suggest this incident is terror related."

Police said there is a lot of police activity under way to catch the suspect.

"Extra resources have been called upon and are on the streets now working to keep the public safe and catch the individual responsible," Scotland Yard said.

The first stabbing took place at 7.02pm on Saturday at Aberdeen Road following reports of an assault.

The 45-year-old victim suffered a stab wound to her back after being attacked by the man.

She was taken to an east London hospital where she remains in a critical condition.

The second incident took place four hours later at around 12.15am on Sunday morning with reports of a male suffering stab injuries in Park Avenue.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and the male victim was taken to an east London hospital for treatment. His condition is not life threatening.

The third incident on Sunday was at 3.55am with reports of a man stabbed at Seven Sisters Tube station.

A 23-year-old man suffered stab injuries and remains in hospital in a critical condition.

Initial enquiries have established that the man may have been attacked in Silver Street, Edmonton.

The last incident took place at 9.43am in Brettenham Road.

Officers attended and found a man with a stab injury to the back.

He has been taken to hospital for an assessment of his injury, and while his injuries are not life-threatening they are potentially life-changing.

Mr Smillie added: "We are working on the hypothesis that the single male suspect is acting alone and mental health issues may be a factor.

"All of the people he has targeted have been walking alone and he has approached from behind without warning.

"Members of the public who have information about this suspect or have spotted someone acting suspiciously who matches his description are advised to call police on 999 and not to approach the man."

Scotland Yard said one man was arrested on suspicion of GBH at 10.53am in Fore Street.

Enquiries continue to establish if he is the individual behind these incidents.

Police tape was up on Aberdeen Road and officers were knocking on the doors of houses along the street accompanied by a police dog.

Officers in forensic suits can also be seen along the stretch of road within the police cordon.

Dervish Husseyin, 60, was at his friend's house on Aberdeen Road when the stabbing took place.

"I seen the woman lying down, face down," he said, adding: "She said they had beaten her up."

Mr Husseyin said the woman had "blood on her back" but did not seem to realise she had been stabbed.

"She said she only went out for a walk on her own," he said.

Natasha Cameron, 45, lives on Aberdeen Road and was walking home from work at a nearby casino after 10pm.

She said she saw officers on her road who told her there had been a stabbing but she was unaware of the later attacks.

"I was 'oh my God this is the road I live on'," she said.

Ms Cameron added: "I'm scared now because I always walk here from work home.

"Now I'm definitely taking the bus."