A teenager has died after a knife attack in south-east London, police in the British capital said today, shortly before a nationwide ban on “zombie” weapons came into effect in a bid to reduce knife crime.

The Metropolitan Police said the boy was found injured after officers were called to a disturbance in a residential street in Woolwich at about 6.35pm. yesterday sunday

A little later the boy arrived.

No further details have been released about the incident, but the young man’s death comes as concern is heightened about the number of knife crimes and the number of young people carrying knives.

A total of 50,510 crimes involving knives were recorded by police in England and Wales in the 12 months to March, a 4% increase on the previous year.

From tomorrow Tuesday it will be forbidden by law to carry a “zombie” type knife or a machete, while amnesty and compensation will apply to those who surrender them.

The ban covers knives with a blade longer than 20cm and those with a serrated blade, which are often used by gangs.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched an initiative to stop young people getting involved in knife crime, a phenomenon he called a national crisis.