The police have arrested a man with a sword in Hainault, east of London, after several people were attacked and injured, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday.

The force said it was called just before 7:00 am (0600 GMT) after a vehicle drove into a house and reports that “people have been stabbed”.

“At this time we understand the suspect went on to attack other members of the public and two police officers,” a statement read.

“We are awaiting an update on the condition of those injured.”

The report said the 36-year-old man was arrested at the scene and he is in custody, police said, adding that the incident has not been treated as terror related.

London Ambulance Service said its teams treated five people and took them all to hospital. There was no immediate word on their condition.

The Met, which secures an area of 620 square miles (1,605 square kilometres) of Greater London, said a 36-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “This incident does not appear to be terror-related.”

Video footage and photographs posted on social media appeared to show a man on the streets near houses with what looked to be a Samurai-type sword.

Emergency service vehicles, including police, fire and ambulances, were seen behind cordons, including near the town’s Underground station.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “absolutely devastated” at hearing of the incident and was in close contact with the Met Police commissioner.

“The police offices and emergency services showed the best of our city — running towards danger to protect others and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

Last week, Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticised the Labour mayor’s record on knife crime in the British capital.

According to official statistics, knife crime increased in London by 20 percent in 2023, with 14,577 offences — one percent lower than pre-pandemic levels in the year to March 2020.

In England and Wales as a whole, there was a seven-percent increase in knife crime to 49,489 offences, with most (29 percent) in metropolitan areas, the Official for National Statistics said

According to some reports the suspect got out of his car and stabbed many people.

“The driver then got back in his car and reversed out the side of the house to drive up the back road opposite where it all started kicking off. People were running and screaming,” a source said.

“You can see he stabbed multiple people up this road. He was lurking outside people’s houses wielding a samurai sword.”

He added: “He then walked back down the road whilst people ran and screamed as he was waving his samurai sword threatening civilians and walked past my house.”

The attacker is said to have turned down an alleyway when he was cornered by police in stand-off, before locals heard yet more screams and sobbing.

The witness added: “It’s all so surreal for a Tuesday morning. I was in my house watching out my window the whole time so I never personally felt worried but kids were on the way to school and my neighbours were on the way to work.”

Another onlooker told The Independent: “I was woken up by loud shouting outside and then I saw someone stab another kid.

“Then police arrived like crazy. The young man made his way towards the station and I’m not sure what happened there.

“I couldn’t really hear what was being said to be honest. He had a big sword though and was right outside my door.

“I’m just lucky my mum’s okay. She was about to leave for work.”