A man was stabbed in front of horrified children in a south London park, witnesses have said.

A 24-year-old man is in a critical condition after being attacked by a gang wielding baseball bats and knives in Nursery Row Park, Walworth, at about 5.20pm on Friday.

The victim collapsed in the middle of East Street Market, as traders were packing away for the evening.

A witness told the PA news agency that two children aged about five or six had been telling police what had happened.

Two sisters with a tailoring business on the edge of the park saw the victim lying in the street after the attack.

The first woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “I saw someone lying on the floor so I called my elder sister who is a nurse to go and help resuscitate him.

“I told her to get gloves and a mask but when she ran there the police were not allowing people through.

“There was a lady trying to put the young man in the recovery position but they weren’t letting anyone else come near him.”

She said two young children who looked about five or six were explaining to police how a gang of men had run up to the victim and stabbed him.

“They (the children) were really distressed,” she said.

Her sister, Nyama Fania, said they had founded the business in 2017 and there was rarely any trouble in the area.

“They will come back for that person – we used to see it all the time when I was a nurse,” she said.

“(Stab victims) need security when they get out of hospital because they always get attacked again.”

Ms Fania said: “We know he was stabbed in the park and then they chased him because there was a trail of blood coming from the park.”

Her sister said: “We are just praying that the young people will come to their senses and realise they can have a proper life – go to uni and find a proper job and be good citizens.”

One woman working in a specialist African food store saw the victim as paramedics were treating him.

“I only saw the young man when he was lying on the floor and the paramedics were trying to help him.”

She added: “It was around 5pm so the market was just closing and the traders were packing up and there were lots of children playing in the park.”

The Metropolitan Police said that no arrests have been made.

Detective Sergeant Rob Merrett said: “I believe the victim was attacked by a group of up to six males armed with baseball bats and knives.

“An investigation is under way, including forensic analysis of the scenes and of all available CCTV footage, in addition to house-to-house and other local inquiries.

“I urge any witnesses, anyone with information and in particular people who have mobile phone footage of the incident to come forward and speak with police if they have not already done so.”

Anyone with any information can contact the Met on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111