A 16-year-old boy was left fighting for his life after being stabbed outside East Croydon Station just minutes after another teenager was left with serious facial injuries.

The double attack happened on Friday evening at around 6pm and, according to police, they are linked.

The teenager was attacked as he walked near the junction of George Street and College Road at around 6pm.

Minutes before the stabbing a 17-year-old boy was assaulted outside Croydon College. He was left with wounds to his face.

Witnesses reported seeing groups of youths fighting and running through the streets, chasing other teenagers. Minutes later the 16-year-old was stabbed outside the busy station.

There are concerns the assaults are the latest examples of violent, teenage gangs rampaging through the borough's streets.

Police are refusing to speculate about the involvement of gangs but there is a growing concern in the borough that they are getting out of control.

A leading councillor has laid the blame firmly at their door and vowed to take action to stop them.

Officers are trying to trace a man and a woman who attempted to stop the attack. Detectives said the pair, who were carrying shopping bags, helped the victim afterwards.

The attacker was described as a black teenager, 6ft tall, of slim build with short dark hair.

Detective Sergeant James Hallums from Croydon CID said: "At the time of the attack the victim was wearing a white, patterned, hooded jacket and jeans and we understand while there appears to be one main suspect there were others nearby who may have been connected to the attack.

"We have CCTV footage and on that it appears that there were a number of witnesses who saw the attack and we would like these people to come forward.

"It seems to be groups of black males who were involved in this situation on both sites but at this stage we would be unable to comment on whether this is a gang-related crime."

The incidents are the latest in a series of knife attacks in the borough over the last year.

Councillor Steve O'Connell, joint deputy leader and cabinet member for public protection and crime reduction, said: "We now have something of a gang culture within Croydon, we have been talking about an emerging gang culture and unfortunately this is what it has now become.

"This was a very serious attack and this is knife crime connected to gang crime. I will be arranging a multi-agency meeting to begin to address the problem, this is an imported culture which has come from elsewhere and one that is now on our streets.

"We have been working very closely with the police on this and this will be one of my main priorities for 2007 to tackle this gang culture and I have asked my colleagues to clear their corporate desks so we can make this a top priority."

As the Croydon Guardian went to press police said the victim was in a critical but stable condition in hospital. Anyone with information should call Croydon CID on 020 8649 0258.