Police are hunting Rehan Khan after a mother and her 11-month-old baby were stabbed at their home in south-west London last night

A suspected knifeman being hunted by police after his estranged wife and their one-year-old baby were stabbed was facing deportation for domestic violence, a friend has said.

Detectives are searching for 25-year-old Rehan Khan following the attack at a house on the Oriel housing estate in Feltham, south-west London last night.

A friend has named the victim as Khan's estranged wife Salma and claimed Pakistani national Khan faced being booted out of the UK over a previous alleged attack.

Ms Khan, who is said to be a British national originally from Belgium, is understood to have four children, including an 11-month-old baby with Khan.

Her friend, who gave her name only as Samina, said: 'I saw him run away, he ran so fast. I just saw blood. He carried on to the motorway.

'He didn't injure the other kids. He tried to kill her and kill her son, of course [her other sons] said "don't kill my mummy".

'She didn't even have time to raise a panic alarm. she didn't give that chance to be rescued.'

This is the disturbing scene of the latest violent attack in London, which left a one-year-old baby fighting for his life and his mother, who is in her 30s, in hospital

Police are trying to trace a man who lived at the address in Feltham, south-west London

The victim's friend claimed Khan's application for a UK visa application was rejected five days ago.

She said: 'He was not living in the house... He used to beat her. Five days ago he applied for the indefinite leave to remain visa through his wife because his wife is a British citizen.

'She reported he used to be a beater and harasser in the past and the court rejected it.'

The 11-month-old baby remains in a critical condition today while his mother, 32, continues to recover in hospital.

A Met Police spokesman said of Khan: 'He is known to frequent the Hounslow and Isleworth areas, and has links to Newham, Slough and Hammersmith & Fulham.

'Enquiries continue to establish whether he had been staying at the address in Swinfield Close.'

Dozens of police officers descended on the scene and a helicopter helped in the search for the attacker last night.

A neighbour said the woman has older sons, of primary school age, who begged the attacker not to kill their mother.

Forensics officers were at the scene today, where the woman victim is said to have lived with her baby and two young sons. Police are trying to trace a man who also lived at the property

Forensics officers were drafted in today in the latest investigation into violence in the capital

Another witness added: 'It was like when you're watching a horror film and you hear blood-curdling screaming of absolute terror. That's what it was like. It was horrific.'

Another local resident added: 'It was quite distressing to hear the screaming and then I saw the police ripping down the fence literally about ten seconds and the guy ran away.

'When they came out I saw a paramedic cradling the baby out. The police officers were getting distressed - one was crying as well because of what he had seen and his colleagues were consoling him.'

Shocking pictures from the scene this morning showed blood on the white walls of the house at the centre of the police investigation.

A police tent could just be seen in the back yard and the upstairs windows were still open and a bedroom light was on.

The terrace backs on to a little mound of grass on the Oriel Estate and a part of it was behind a police cordon.

The scene was taped off by detectives investigating the double attack this morning

Local residents said they heard screaming from the house before the police arrived

Myrtle Cantwell, 62, who has lived on the estate for 38 years, said: 'The air ambulance was hovering and there was lots of police.

'The police came by and banged on the door where it happened. The lady next door came out and ushered them in. I could see the police vans and the sirens but I stayed indoors.'

Neighbours told how police ordered them to go inside and lock their doors as the drama unfolded at around 7:15pm last night.

Local resident Gary Fletcher, 63, said next door neighbours of the victims witnessed their injuries.

He said: 'They ran out screaming. One was pointing to his stomach so I presume he saw the stabbing.'

A woman who lives nearby said 'We heard it was a personal issue.'

A police helicopter was seen circling overhead as police hunt a man over the stabbings

Officers with dogs (left) scoured the area of west London for evidence that could help find the attacker while the air ambulance raced the victims to hospital (right)

An air ambulance landed close to the scene at a school and took the injured pair to hospital

Another mother-of-three, who asked wished not to be named, said: 'They just moved to the area recently - three or four months ago they moved to the Oriel Estate.

'We didn't sleep last night. It's especially shocking for mothers. It's totally cruel.'

Police said they were called to the home after reports of concerns for the well-being of the occupants.

The little boy remains in a critical condition this morning. The woman is also in hospital though her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The Met Police said officers are now looking for a man who is known to live at the address and the three are believed to have been known to each other.

Police remained at the address overnight as investigators sealed off the crime scene.

Police remained at the scene into the night investigating the double stabbing

Forensics officers scoured the scene of the double stabbing in west London into the night

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Work continues to establish to circumstances of the incident but at this early stage it is believed the parties involved were known to each other.

'A crime scene has been established and officers remain at the scene.

'Officers from Hounslow CID investigate. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.'

Anyone with information is asked to contact Hounslow Police on 101, tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.