Ilford Station stabbing: Police officer attacked Published duration 24 November 2018 Related Topics London violence

image copyright Thinkstock image caption The officer's injuries are not thought to be life threatening

A police officer has been stabbed in an "unprovoked attack" outside a train station in east London.

The male officer was "attacked with a knife" after being approached outside Ilford Station, British Transport Police said.

A man has been arrested in connection with the attack, which happened at around 21:45 GMT on Friday.

The officer was taken to hospital but was discharged on Saturday to continue his recovery at home, police said.

Counter-terrorism police are not involved at this stage, it is understood.

Witnesses described seeing the bloodied officer outside the station which was put on "complete lockdown".

image copyright Google image caption The officer was approached outside the station and attacked with a knife, police said

The officer was "fortunate" that colleagues were nearby to restrain his attacker, BTP Federation chairman Nigel Goodband said.

Mr Goodband said the attack "was totally unprovoked".

He said: "It's shocking - knife crime and the wider epidemic of attacking police officers is a real concern to us all.

"We are now seeing senseless acts of violence against those who are there to protect society."

The stabbing comes amid an increase in attacks on police officers and a rise in violent crime in London, particularly knife crime.

Metropolitan Police Federation Ken Marsh recently called for police to be given greater support after an incident where an officer was kicked into a road, close to the path of a bus.

He had previously warned of a "breakdown in society" after two officers were attacked as they tried to apprehend a suspect in Hackney.