Three people have been arrested after a man was stabbed in the head in Thornton Heath this morning (Saturday).

Witnesses said a violent brawl broke out in which a group of people assaulted two men, believed to be in their late teens or early twenties, in High Street, near the junction with Cassland Avenue, at about 11am before one of them used a kitchen knife to attack one of the victims.

The man suffered cuts to his head and was taken to hospital by ambulance. However, his injuries are not said to be serious.

Police were called to the scene and arrested three people for public disorder.

Ali Rehman, who works at Unicorn Dry Cleaners in High Street, saw the drama unfold. He said: “I was standing outside having a cigarette and I saw two men.

“They pushed this guy - about 19 or 20 - from behind and got him in a headlock. One hit him there and was just punching him. The other one was punching him and kneeing him as well. They had a knife as well.

“I didn’t see them use it but half this guy’s face was really pouring down with blood.

“A policeman came out with a dog and chased them around the corner. They were all still fighting.

“There was a lot of people looking on. One or two people from the shops tried to stop it but because they had a knife they didn’t want to get involved.

“The knife was thin and long. It looked like a long kitchen knife.”

Vahora Sohel, manager of nearby Tots baby care, said: “It was right outside my shop. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“One person got hit with the knife and got put in an ambulance.”

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 11.12am to High Street, Thornton Heath to reports of a stabbing.

“We sent an ambulance crew and a single responder unit to the scene. One male patient was taken to hospital.

“It doesn’t look too serious.”

Three males, aged 43, 18 and 16 were arrested for violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

A police spokesman said: “At 11.04am we were called to High Street, Thornton Heath to a report of an altercation involving four or five people.

“No one looks very seriously injured. Both victims were male. One had cuts to his head. The other had superficial injuries.”