Five people, including a police officer, have been stabbed and several others injured after two water fights got out of control.

One officer was among three people who were stabbed when trouble flared in Hyde Park in London on Tuesday - the hottest day of the year so far - which saw temperatures peak at 33.5C (92.3F).

Four other officers, including one who was wounded by a bottle, and a member of the public also suffered injuries.

In Burgess Park in south London, two 16-year-old boys were knifed as disorder broke out among 500 to 600 young people who had gathered for an end-of-term water fight as temperatures soared.

Police said the crowd peaked at around 4,000 for the water fight near the Serpentine in Hyde Park.


A "significant minority" became hostile as the evening wore on and a group within the gathering decided to set up an unlicensed music event.

Police said officers came under attack as they tried to negotiate and talk to organisers.

All five injured officers were treated in hospital for their injuries and have since been discharged.

Image: Police on the scene at London's Hyde Park after a water fight got out of control

The members of the public who were stabbed remain in hospital. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Police were also called to a McDonald's in Marble Arch at 9.15pm which was temporarily closed and its staff forced to retreat to a back room after food and drink was looted by thieves.

Mobile phone footage shared on social media reportedly showed young people vaulting over the counter.

Officers were also attacked as they moved hundreds of revellers from an illegal block party on the Stamford Hill Estate in Hackney, north London, which went on well into the night.

Commander Ben-Julian Harrington, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "The people of London this morning are waking up to what is unacceptable criminal violence.

"We saw five officers injured in total: one stabbed in the hand, one hit in the head with a bottle, and absolutely unacceptable levels of violence against officers, and indeed members of the public."

It is unclear what sparked the trouble, but some people who said they were at the Hyde Park gathering blamed police.

One Twitter user, @imanilindsay, wrote: "I do not in any way condone the throwing of bottles. I cried when it happened.

"I have an issue with how the teens were lured into a trap.

"It was like watching an animal being back up against a wall and playing on the fact that it reacted."

She added: "They got what they wanted ... to get the Black people out of the park."

But a video posted on an account called @YT_Bricks showed parts of the incident and someone can be heard saying: "They are throwing bottles at Fed cars ... they are mashing up the Fed cars".

Unacceptable scenes in Hyde Park last night. Violent & criminal behaviour won't be tolerated in London. Police will act against all involved — Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) July 20, 2016

Mr Harrington denied the disturbance, which involved a "hard core" of around 100 people, had anything to do with the Black Lives Matter movement.

He said he was "proud" of the police response and said the weather was no excuse for violent criminal behaviour.

The police chief said there would be arrests as officers reviewed CCTV and helicopter footage.

He said officers would also be investigating any links between the disorder, adding there would be an increased police presence across the capital from Wednesday night into the weekend.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the violence on Twitter. He wrote: "Unacceptable scenes in Hyde Park last night. Violent & criminal behaviour won't be tolerated in London. Police will act against all involved."

Any witnesses or anyone with information to the Hyde Park disorder can call the incident room on 020 8246 0076 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.