Boxing Day shoppers flee after ‘knife fight’ in shopping centre

A terrified mum has spoken of her harrowing ordeal after a ‘knife fight’ at a shopping centre in south London during the Boxing Day sales.

The woman, who only identified herself as Marina, was shopping with her children at the the Intu Shopping Centre in Bromley and was caught up in the stampede.

She tearfully told LBC: “There was screaming, running, shoving. I got trampled and my children got trampled on.”

Marina, whose children are four and nine, said she escaped via a shop stock room, adding: “We ran for our lives, me and my children. I’ve never seen anything like it my life.”

She abandoned her shopping as she fled.

A distressing video showed shoppers fleeing as the drama unfolded.

Police were photographed detaining a man and an officer appeared to be holding a machete.

Knife incident: An attacker has reportedly struck at a shopping centre in Bromley

Officers arrested a man on suspicion of affray and possessing an offensive weapon, and are hunting another man who is believed to have run off, possibly dropping a weapon.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: “We were called at 3.45pm to reports of an injured man at the Glades shopping centre.

“Officers arrived at the scene and found a man with a minor head injury.

“At this stage officers believe he sustained the injury as a result of an altercation. The injured man has been arrested for affray and possession of an offensive weapon. He currently remains in custody at a south London police station.

“Officers have recovered two knives and are seeking to trace a man who was seen running off, possibly discarding a weapon. Enquiries continue.”

Officers also said the man ran from the scene possibly discarded a weapon.

The shopping centre has now reportedly reopened.

The centre’s management refused to comment.

Ryan Louder wrote on Facebook: “Terrifying, horrible experience at Intu Bromley seeing hundreds of panicking people running out of shopping centre.

“Staff freaking out, telling us to get into the back only to find the back had no exit and we were essentially sitting ducks to what we all thought was a terrorist attack.

“Luckily left that and went out fire exit. Horrible seems to be more a man walked into [a shop] with a machete.”

London Ambulance Service were called to the scene at 3.47 to reports of a stabbing and treated a female at the scene. She was not taken to hospital.

Witness Ceri Harlin, 18, a student, told the Evening Standard: “A police van pulled up and [officers] went running inside.

“Security and three or four police officers have handcuffed a man and the police officer is carrying the huge knife.

“No-one got injured as far as I know.”

Scene: The Glades Intu shopping centre in Bromley

Bromley Police tweeted: “Police are aware of an incident that has taken place in Bromley, and that enquiries are ongoing.”

Armed police have rushed to the site, reports Sky News.