London Mayor Sadiq Khan is to meet Home Secretary Sadiq Javid for urgent talks tomorrow following the latest murder in London.

Last night, a man was stabbed to death in north London, bringing the number of murders in the capital to a staggering 74 this year.

The victim, 35, was found by police at about 10pm on Saturday night with multiple stab wounds.

Locals have claimed the victim was 'executed over a drug debt'.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said this morning: 'My thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim of the fatal stabbing in Haringey last night.

'I am in touch with the local MP and local authority leaders and remain in close contact with the Met Police.

'Tomorrow morning I will meet with the Home Secretary to discuss how we address the scourge of serious violence across Britain.

'Here in London, the Met's Violent Crime Task Force, set up with City Hall funding, is arresting criminals and taking knives off our streets every day.

'The police must be properly funded now to prevent more lives being lost.'

A local, who saw the crime, said seven local drug dealers surrounded a white 35-year-old victim with his back to the wall and shouted 'let's go to the park then' in an row over money.

He also likened the scale of drug dealing in the area to American crime drama The Wire.

He said two cars were parked at the scene and the main aggressor was pulled away by the group which started 'excitedly' making plans and left in the vehicles.

The witness, who is in his 30s but asked not to be named, said he next heard a 'loud belt' sound and a group of men surround the area where the victim was stabbed up to 15 minutes later.

He said: 'They were the usual group of local drug dealers having an argument with someone about money just after 9pm.

'I heard more than the usual commotion outside and saw that group of people.

'The only person I couldn't see was the target of their aggression, who was backed up against a building.

'They were just surrounding him. There were about six or seven men, all over 18.

'There was an argument over money - they were shouting 'no more money'.

'The main guy was shouting, two others were circling around on bicycles.

'Then the one doing most of the shouting gets dragged away by the others and he kicked at a passing car in rage.

'Then two other vehicles come and that same group were in heated discussions and I would say planning - everything was being said very urgently.

'Then, within 10 minutes of that, the guy had been stabbed.

The scene in north London this morning following a stabbing last night

'We were on the street and my attention was drawn to that corner of the park.

'It sounded like it was a slapping noise. I don't mean a slap to the face, it sounded like a belt slapping something. It was loud.

'I turned towards it and saw a huddled group increasing in size every second.

'First there was just a couple of people and then there were 30 people and then the police arrived 15 to 20 minutes later.

'After the first police car they all came very quickly. It was a sea of blue lights.

The local resident added: 'Just for a single group of people to ruin it for everybody, it's irritating.

'If it was generally a disaster area, I would not complain but it's literally this one group that causes all the trouble around here. Otherwise, it's very pleasant.

'The police do their best and they have had a very good record recently of displacing the problem so the group has changed their strategy.

A Met Police officer stands outside Turnpike Lane tube station after a fatal stabbing last night

'The police put up CCTV cameras on the road lately so they can't stay there.

'They know that so the drug deals take place in the shops.

'It's completely based on the The Wire. Customers will make contact with a group sat in a remote location.'

Police believe the 35-year-old was fatally stabbed on Ducketts Common, near Turnpike Lane Station, where it is claimed young men are 'fighting' and selling drugs yards from the playground everyday.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the scene and a cordon remains in place this morning as local roads remain closed.

A murder investigation has been launched and the victim has yet to be formally identified.

However, police say they know the identity of the man and are in the process of informing next of kin.

Footage taken after the arrival of emergency services a crowd has gathered

Witnesses near the busy Tube station watched in horror as medics performed CPR on the victim.

A waitress at Gonül Cafe & Diner, directly opposite the murder scene, said: 'Around 9.30pm there was a lot of fighting.

'There was 15 people, maybe, and I heard someone was shouting and then too much people there and police and ambulance they are called too and that was it.'

Another resident said a white man in his 30s was chased by two youths running away from the park around two hours before the stabbing.

The witness said they threw a bottle at the man as he ran from them.

Forensic and sniffer dog teams continue to scour the crime scene for evidence as detectives reviewed local businesses' CCTV footage.

A member of staff at the Elisana flower shop, opposite the park said this morning: 'Always across the park people are fighting with each other so that's it - it's not the first time.

'I heard them at six or seven o'clock. Everyday they are fighting with each other and they sell stuff.'

Mother-of-two Julieta Varquera, 43, said she has banned her sons, aged 15 and 23, from entering the park because of the frequent drug taking in the park.

She said: 'My sons cannot go there because it frightens me.

'There are always people smoking marijuana.

'They could be selling drugs there.'

Greg Roberts, 46, a homeless man living in the area, claimed drug dealing was 'rife' in the area.

He said: 'It happens everywhere. It is rife, really rife.

'The police patrol, but they don't question anyone.

'It is blatant. I sit in the park every morning reading and I see it happen.'

Police responded to reports of a stabbing in Haringey just before 10pm on Saturday

Entrances to the park, which is run by Haringey Council, remained sealed off by police.

Extra cordons have been placed around a basketball court which is yards from a toddlers' playground and a bike abandoned in the green.

Police have also sealed off nearby roads and an exit from Turnpike Lane station.

A post-mortem examination is expected to occur in the next few days. No arrests have been made.

Haringey Criminal Investigation Department detectives have launched an urgent investigation.

Last month, the London Assembly launched an urgent investigation into the recent surge in violent crime in the capital.

Of the 74 murders in London this year, 46 have involved knives and 10 guns.

A Met Police spokesman said: 'Any witnesses, or anyone with information that may assist the investigation, are urged to call police on 101 quoting reference 7472jun09.

'To give information anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.'