A MAN wearing a balaclava was beaten up by a group of men in the immediate aftermath of a reported stabbing, a witness has claimed.

Much of Chingford Mount Road and Hall Lane was closed off by police yesterday (Saturday May 26) following reports that a 28-year-old man had been stabbed.

Police confirmed to the Guardian they were called to a disturbance in Hall Lane at 2.20am and said two men had been hurt.

However the force did not explain why such a large area was taped off and said details of exactly what happened were unclear.

But now a witness has come forward to the Guardian and described in detail the "distressing scenes" he saw that night.

His account suggests there were two linked attacks.

It is believed that the incident began with a row or altercation by the taxi office in Hall Lane. It was there that the reported stabbing then took place.

Moments later a man ran from the scene pursued by six other men, according to the witness.

The 51-year-old, who did not want to be named, said: "I was standing on the pavement in Chingford Mount road when I saw a man in a balaclava running into the street from Hall Lane.

"He was being chased by about six guys, who were mostly white and aged in their 30s, and they were shouting things like 'kick him'.

"He was easily out-running them but then he tripped on a bin and fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"The men ran up to him and started kicking him while he was lying on the ground. It looked like they kicked him unconscious but they kept going."

The witness, who was standing near the King's Ford pub opposite the scene, said he could already hear the sirens of police cars rushing to the scene by this point.

"It was quite a distressing scene, they looked like they were doing some serious damage," he said.

"Eventually they stopped and the man was just lying there. I thought they might have killed him.

"Some of the men involved who were walking away looked remorseful and worried about what they had done, but others weren't bothered."

The witness said a police car then arrived at the scene.

Officers reportedly leapt from the car and began chasing the six men, who were by then in the process of walking away.

The witness said that while officers were chasing the group a man then approached the apparently motionless body of the man in the balaclava and dragged him into a nearby alleyway.

The witness speculated it was a friend who was trying to hide the man.

When more police arrived at the scene they then began taping off the area and searching for the man.

After a few minutes officers emerged from the alleyway with a white, light-haired man in handcuffs, it is claimed.

Police have been unable to confirm if any arrests were made but the witness said paramedics attempted to treat the man for a head wound and then he was then taken away by officers.

The Met has confirmed a man was treated for a gash wound to the head at the scene.

Police are expected to release further details of what happened on Monday.

Did you see what happened? Contact reporter Daniel Binns on 0779 547 6625

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