Police scrambled to a stabbing in London tonight amid fears of new terror attack in the capital.

A gang of up to 20 youths on mopeds allegedly stabbed a man with a machete in Russell Square just before 8pm this evening.

Five police cars, an ambulance and a paramedic helicopter raced to the scene before police confirmed the incident was not terrorism.

Officers managed to catch and arrest one man as paramedics rushed his young victim to hospital.

The alleged attack happened at Brunswick Square Gardens area, near Russell Square tube station

A paramedic helicopter landed on a nearby astro-turf pitch as doctors raced to treat the victim

One onlooker tweeted: 'Footy finished early due to paramedic heli landing on pitch. Stabbing 200yards away. 20 odd youths chased. Brunswick square gardens'

Police put up a cordon around shops and restaurants in the area.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at approximately 7.45pm to reports of a number of people on mopeds involved in a disturbance in Brunswick Centre.

'Officers, London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended and found a man, believed aged in his 20s, suffering a stab wound.

A policeman takes down witness accounts at the scene while a cordon was set up by officers

There were several police vehicles at the scene of the stabbing as passers-by were shocked

'He was taken to a central London hospital for treatment - condition awaits.

'One male was arrested at the scene on suspicion of GBH. Enquires continue to trace any other people involved.

'Officers from the Central North Command Unit investigate. It is not terror related.'

It comes as the Metropolitan Police denies heroic Spanish skateboarder Ignacio Echeverria was shot dead by officers who mistook him for a terrorist during the London Bridge attacks on Saturday.

Officers arrested a man as paramedics took his victim who was in his 20s to hospital

A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at approximately 7.45pm on Friday, 9 June to reports of a number of people on mopeds involved in a disturbance

This is the scene of the stabbing where a gang of youths were involved in a disturbance

A police officer directs a deliveroo cyclist around the cordon after the stabbing

The force was pushed to release a statement after furious speculation in Spain, where interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said the delay in identifying Echeverria, from Madrid, was 'strange' and others suggested he was accidentally killed by armed police.

HSBC banker Echeverria, 39, reportedly jumped off his bike to help a woman who was being stabbed in the rampage that left eight dead on Saturday, fighting off her attacker with a skateboard.

But the Met said it did not recognise 'allegations that are circulating in the Spanish media that a member of the public was fatally shot by police.'

Ignacio Echeverria (pictured) was last seen on Saturday night lying on a pavement near London Bridge after confronting one of the knife-wielding terrorists as he was attacking a female victim

Echeverria's sister Isabel, an account operations manager with WEX Virtual Payments who also lives in London, previously launched a social media appeal for help in tracking her brother down. Pictured above, emergency responders at London Bridge following the attack