CCTV footage shows a hooded man calmly, swiftly crossing the road, turning around to follow an unsuspecting 25-year-old woman on her mobile phone, before stabbing her.

The victim suffered stab wounds to her torso and slash wounds to her forearms during the attack in Tooting earlier this year.

The suspect tried to steal the victim’s mobile phone and handbag after following her in Franciscan Road, Tooting at about 11.55pm on Wednesday, June 1.

When she refused to hand over her phone or handbag the suspect stabbed her before running away towards Mitcham Road.

Police and paramedics arrived and the victim was taken to hospital. Her injuries were not life threatening and she was later discharged.

No arrests have yet been made.

Your Local Guardian:

Police in Wandsworth Borough have released the footage and e-fit of a man they hope to speak to in connection with the attack. Officers have also released two CCTV images of potential witnesses – a man and a woman (pictured above) – they are keen to speak to about what they might have seen.

Detective Constable John Baldwin, urged any other potential witnesses to come forward.

He added: "We believe that there could be other unreported attempted robberies, or even robberies, in the area that night, and so the suspect would have been seen by a number of people in the area.

"So we are also appealing for anyone who was in and around the Franciscan Road area around midnight on June 1 into June 2, who hasn't already spoken to police, to contact us."

To offer information, contact Wandsworth CID on 07920 502 909, or via 101.

To offer information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or at crimestoppers-uk.org