A 22-year-old man is fighting for his life and three other people were also injured in a stabbing at a pub in east London.

Police were called to The Duke in Wood Street, Walthamstow, shortly after 8.15pm on Monday following reports of an attack involving a machete.

Three men were found with stab wounds inside the pub and a fourth was found injured in nearby Shernall Street.

Three of the men, aged 27, 31 and 42, are stable in hospital, while the 22-year-old remains in a life-threatening condition.

Police believe the attack was targeted. No arrests have been made.

Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Grant Stevens, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are in the early stages of piecing together what happened last night and would like to hear from anyone who was inside the pub and witnessed the attack.

“Whilst news of this kind is concerning, I would like to reassure the community that there is nothing to suggest any wider risk to the public.

“Officers will remain in the area throughout the day and I would encourage anyone with concerns to speak with them.”

Five roads near the pub remain closed and a police presence is expected to be in place throughout Tuesday.

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We sent a number of resources to the scene, including four ambulance crews, members of our Tactical Response Unit, a member of our Motorcycle Response Unit and a first responder.

“We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated four people at the scene. We took them all to a major trauma centre, two as a priority.”