Lewisham shopping centre has been evacuated after a teenage boy was stabbed in broad daylight.

Mounted police are guarding the mall as stunned eyewitnesses revealed the attack left "pools of blood" on the ground.

Shoppers were told to clear the centre including hundreds of schoolchildren who were in the area at the time.

Scotland Yard confirmed it was called to Lewisham High Street at 4.40pm to reports a teenager had been stabbed.

A spokeswoman told the Standard the boy had been taken to an east London hospital where it is believed he is in a stable condition.

A London Air Ambulance was also called and landed nearby.

A Lewisham resident who was walking into the shopping centre at the time told the Standard: “There were hundreds of school kids everywhere hanging around the shopping centre.

“I went to go into the centre and the barriers were down, then I noticed police mounted on horses arriving.

“I met a friend at the entrance who works in the centre and she said the floor was covered in a pool of blood.

“She said a schoolboy had been stabbed right in the middle of the shopping centre.

“Everyone was immediately evacuated and the alarms were turned on.”

Laura Ryan, who works in the centre, told the Standard: "I didn't see the whole situation but all I know is there was a young boy stabbed in the centre today. There was blood throughout the centre and the boy collapsed near the north exit.

"Shoppers seemed calm but confused. It wasn't a manic scene but there were crowds and confusion shortly after the centre was cleared.

"The security at the centre dealt well with the situation."