Girl, 17, critical after stabbing

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/5395062.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A 17-year-old girl is in a critical condition in hospital after being stabbed in south-east London.

Police officers were called to Priory Gardens, off Court Road, in Orpington, at around 0840 BST on Saturday.

Police believe the girl got off a bus on Court Road and was cutting through a park to get to Orpington High Street, where she worked, when she was stabbed.

Her attacker stole her bag and stabbed her in the neck and stomach before running from the scene.

Emergency surgery

He ran off towards the junction with Orpington High Street, which was about 200 yards away from the scene, after being challenged by another woman.

The suspect is described as a white man, about 30 years old, of stocky build, about 5' 6" tall, with dark brown hair.

He was wearing a white jacket and blue jeans.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "She [the victim] got off the bus somewhere along this road (Court Road). She went through Priory Gardens and not long after going through the gate she was attacked by a man.

"She had a handbag with her and we believe the motive was robbery."

She added that it was very likely that the attacker would have been bloodstained.

The girl, who is believed to be from the area, is understood to have undergone emergency surgery at a south London hospital.

Officers are carrying out a thorough search of the area where she was stabbed.