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A nursery worker was beaten up and stabbed by three girls as she walked to work in east London this morning.

The woman, aged in her 30s, was walking from Wanstead station to Little Diamonds nursery on Hermon Hill when the attackers came up behind her at just after 9.30am on Wednesday.

They shoved her to the ground before punching and kicking her during the terrifying attack.

Karrien Stevens, who runs Little Diamonds nursery on Hermon Hill where the victim works, told the Standard the three attackers were “chanting the Koran”.

She said: “A staff member was coming to work when three Asian girls came up behind her chanting the Koran.

“They pulled her to the ground, kicking and punching her.

“One of them got the knife out and cut her arm.

“They were shouting about Allah, that and the Koran.”

The nursery manager added the attack had "nothing to do with the nursery".

It is not being treated as terrorist-related.

The three suspects fled the scene before police arrived. Met officers and paramedics sped to the scene and found the victim suffering from a stab wound.

She was taken to a hospital in east London. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

No one has yet been arrested and enquiries into what happened continue.

A Met spokesman added: "The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command has been made aware of the incident but is not investigating at this time."