An axe attack on a teenager took place on one of Islington’s most prominent streets during rush hour yesterday (March 27).

An 18-year-old man is believed to have almost lost a hand in the attack, which took place on Upper Street at about 6.15pm, as gang violence spilled over into the heart of the borough.

The victim was taken to the Whittington Hospital where he was treated for arm injuries.

Less than two hours later, speaking at a council meeting just across the road from the pavement where pools of blood still remained from the attack, town hall crime chief Cllr Paul Convery said that gang warfare was rearing its head again.

He said: “This was a very violent, pre-meditated attack that played out on one of the most prominent streets in our borough.

“There were huge puddles of blood in the street.

“There had been a period of relative calm in the borough over the last two years and the police took out a large number of very active gang members.

“They are nearly all gone but a vacuum seems to have been created with youngsters moving in to a very active drug culture – there has been a probable upswing in gang related violence.

“We are going to get a grip on this, before it causes the kind of problems it did a couple of years ago.”