A man was shot today by a gunman on a moped in a lunchtime attack on a busy London road.

The victim, 23, suffered a large wound to his back but was able to stand up as he waited for emergency services to arrive.

Armed police officers were seen running down Essex Road in Islington after the shooting just before 1pm, while the Met helicopter was also dispatched in the hunt for the gunman.

Scotland Yard said the man had suffered "life-changing" injuries.

In an update this evening, police said the man remained in a 'serious' condition in hospital.

A spokesman said: "Police were called at 12:54hrs to reports of a shooting in Essex Road, N1.

"Local officers from Islington, officers from the firearms command and LAS attended and found a 23-year-old man suffering from a suspected gunshot wound.

"The man is conscious and breathing and has been taken to an east London hospital with life changing injuries.

"Officers from Islington are investigating and enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances of this incident."

Police confirmed no arrests have yet been made and the weapon is yet to be recovered.

The shooting is understood to have happened outside a drycleaners.

Islington shooting 6 show all Islington shooting 1/6 Essex Road shooting The scene from above (Picture: Twitter/@eddymarriott) 2/6 Essex Road shooting It is believed the shooting happened outside a dry cleaners 3/6 Essex Road shooting Police after the shooting 4/6 Essex Road shooting Police in Essex Road after the shooting 5/6 Essex Road shooting Police in Essex Road (Picture: Twitter/@officialperrett) 6/6 Essex Road shooting Police closed the road near the junction with Cross Street (Picture: Twitter/@Robin_Henry) 1/6 Essex Road shooting The scene from above (Picture: Twitter/@eddymarriott) 2/6 Essex Road shooting It is believed the shooting happened outside a dry cleaners 3/6 Essex Road shooting Police after the shooting 4/6 Essex Road shooting Police in Essex Road after the shooting 5/6 Essex Road shooting Police in Essex Road (Picture: Twitter/@officialperrett) 6/6 Essex Road shooting Police closed the road near the junction with Cross Street (Picture: Twitter/@Robin_Henry)

A witness, a teacher who gave her name as Delores, 36, said: “I walked past and there was a boy standing on the corner and the police officers approached him gently.

“One of the officers put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and they took off his jacket, he was obviously very scared.

“There was a massive bleeding hole in his back.”

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 12.55pm to reports of a shooting on Essex Road.

“We sent a single responder in a car, an ambulance crew, a duty officer and London’s Air Ambulance to the scene.

“Our staff treated one patient, a man, who was taken to hospital in an ambulance escorted by the doctor from the air ambulance.”

Journalist Brian Whelen tweeted: "Armed cops running through street at Angel Essex road.

"Cop carrying automatic weapon running along path," he posted later.

Another user added: "We saw the same thing from our office window; they've gone further down Essex Road now. One officer did look under a bus."

The road was closed in both directions at the junction with Cross Street but was re-opened just after 7pm, Transport for London said.

Officers from the Trident Gang Crime Command, which is responsible for tackling gang violence and probing shootings in the capital, are investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0208 358 0711 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.