Covent Garden is a busy and touristy area in the heart of central London.

Just minutes away from the British Museum, the area is known for its shops and restaurants.

The area is in the city's West End and home to several theatres. Head south from Endell Street - where the stabbing took place - and you will hit the River Thames.

Also nearby is Trafalgar Square, popular with tourists, where a London Air Ambulance landed earlier to help treat the stabbing victims.

Image source, PA Media

Two of the victims involved in today's incident have injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The other two victims have been discharged from hospital, a statement from the police force adds.

"Four men – aged 34, 39, 42, and 52 - were found with stab wounds and assessed at the scene by paramedics," it reads.

"They were taken to hospital where two remain with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening or life changing. The other two victims have since been discharged."

The Metropolitan Police believes the incident is isolated and "mental-health related" according to Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart.

In a statement on X, he says: "Officers responded within minutes of this incident after receiving a number of reports.

"While still at an early stage of the investigation, we would like to reassure the community that we currently believe this to be an isolated, mental-health related incident.

"A visible police presence will remain in the area while evidence is gathered at the scene and we thank the public for their understanding."

Manish Pandey
Reporting from the scene

Tim Keates, a painter working on a salon, says he has been in the area since 11:30.

He tells me he didn’t realise something had happened until police cordoned off the intersection.

Keates, 61, says he saw a number of police and dozens of paramedics, but not the incident itself.

Members of the public would approach the cordon down the road and then turn back and walk past him.

He has been working in the area since the start of the week and says it is “busier” in the streets today than on previous days.

Nick Johnson
Reporting from the scene

Lottie Johnson and Ben Ormonde are visiting the capital for the day.

They were sat on a bench at about 12:30, when they saw police cars, incident response vehicles and paramedics arrive on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street.

“There were so many emergency services arriving” they said.

“We could see a man being assessed by ambulance crews - he was walking and didn’t outwardly appear injured, we couldn’t see blood, but he was put inside the ambulance”.

Manish Pandey
Reporting from the scene

I’ve just spoken to Angel Daden.

She was in a spin class at Oasis Sports Centre when someone came in and told her “people are being stabbed outside”.

Angel, 55, says she came outside for “a quick look” and saw a bandaged person heading into an ambulance.

But she didn’t see who was carrying out the attack.

Angel tells me she hasn’t experienced something like this in the 18 years she’s lived in the area.

Nick Johnson
Reporting from the scene

In the past few minutes, police have removed their cordon and reopened the area to traffic and pedestrians.

Much of the police activity has been focused on a building on the corner of High Holborn and Endell Street which belongs to the homeless charity, St Mungo’s.

Manish Pandey
Reporting from the scene

A police cordon near the scene has been removed and people are now able to walk through as normal.

Officers are telling members of the public that things are under control.

The sound of a helicopter overhead remains.

Earlier today, an air ambulance could be seen taking off from Trafalgar Square, with a large crowd gathered in the tourist hot spot.

The air ambulance departed with no patients on board - they were ultimately transported to hospital by road.

There is a large police presence in Covent Garden after four men were taken to hospital with stab wounds.

The Metropolitan Police says a 47-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

The force says its officers will remain in the vicinity, with a crime scene in place on Endell Street and the surrounding area.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, LBC

London's Air Ambulance was earlier seen landing in Trafalgar Square following reports of the stabbing.

Emergency crews say it was dispatched as part of their response, but that four patients were ultimately transported to hospital by road.

Here's what the Metropolitan Police has said:

"At around 12:27hrs on Wednesday, 5 August, police were called to reports of stabbing on Endell Street, Covent Garden.

"Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance.

Four men - aged 34, 39, 42, and 52 - were found with stab wounds and assessed at the scene by paramedics. They have since been taken to hospital and we await an update on their injuries.

"A 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault. She was taken to custody where she remains.

"Police remain in the area, with a scene in place on Endell Street and the surrounding areas in Covent Garden."

The London Ambulance service says an ambulance crew, a paramedic, an incident response officer and London’s Air Ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

"We were called at 12:29pm today (5 August) to reports of a stabbing on Endell Street," the service says in a statement.

"We treated four patients at the scene and took them all to a major trauma centre as a priority by road."

Four men have been stabbed and taken to hospital after police were called to reports of a stabbing in Covent Garden in central London.

A woman, aged 47, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

The incident took place on Endell Street and police say they will remain in the area.

We'll bring you more on this story as we get it.