A mum described the horrifying moments after a young man was stabbed in Upper Norwood yesterday.

The victim, in his early 20s, is still fighting for his life at a South London Hospital after being stabbed and assaulted outside a block of flats in Brunel Close.

A police spokesman said there have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries continue.

Miss Miller, who lives above where the incident took place, said she could not look as police and ambulance crews arrived at the scene.

She said: “I am quite shocked that it has happened basically on my doorstep. I have lived here for five years and I haven’t seen anything like this before.

“I looked out my window and the ambulance and the police. I saw the man lying there with the knife beside him. I didn’t want to see anymore.

She said: “I had walked out that exact door where he lay at 2.50pm (just over an hour before the stabbing) to pick up my kids from school. It is so sad.

“My son could not sleep last night. I am still shivering after what happened. I am so terrified, it was directly below my children’s bedroom, they would not sleep in there last night.”

Another lady who lives in the flats, who did not wish to be named, said she was surprised that an incident like this occurred in the area.

She said: “It does make you worried about the area that you live in. Perhaps someone was targeted, I don’t know.

“That section is often use as a cut through, a lot of people use it, especially if they are coming back with shopping.”

A resident, who lives in Brunel Close, near to where the incident happened, said she has seen people acting suspiciously there in the past.

She said: “If I am honest I do see people act suspiciously behind those flats. I have never seen anything specific, but their behaviour is not normal.

“It is still surprising to see something like this. There have been some muggings recently but nothing like this.

“I still feel safe walking around. Generally this is a safe place to live.”

Councillor Pat Ryan, who represents Upper Norwood, said there has been an increase in crime in the area in recent weeks.

He said: “The Crystal Palace triangle is a vibrant area but of late there has been a number of robbings and muggings.

“The crime rate there is not that bad, but it is slowly starting to creep up.

“I know Brunel Close well, and I can understand that residents would be shocked that an incident like this has occurred where they live.”