A double stabbing in Mitcham on Friday night has sparked a major police operation to prevent further gang attacks and reassure the community.

Ten black youths in their late teens are believed to have launched an unprovoked attack on two men in St Mark's Road at 10pm, punching and kicking them to the ground before stabbing them.

One of the victims, a 20-year-old from Mitcham, received multiple stab wounds to his right arm, lower back and abdomen. The other, a 22-year-old from Epsom, was stabbed in his left bicep.

Both were taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting with non-life threatening injuries.

Police believe the gang responsible was from Wandsworth and on Wednesday evening launched a four-day operation aimed at preventing cross-borough gang attacks, as well as reassuring worried Mitcham residents.

The operation involves increased patrols by uniformed and plain clothes officers, with 23 being deployed in the area each night.

Detective Chief Inspector Sean Wanless, who has organised the “intelligence lead” operation, said it was a reaction to increasing, violent attacks in the boroughs of Croydon and Wandsworth.

In Wansworth there were six shootings and one stabbing in the last eight days.

He asked residents not to be panicked by the deployment of more officers on their streets.

He said: “Mitcham is a peaceful place. This is not the wild west - this is a decent place to live.”

“It is a measured and controlled response to emerging issues. We want to show a strong policing presence.”

The operation includes patrols by policemen in off-road motorbikes and officers armed with automatic number plate recognition equipment, which can quickly detect if the owners of passing vehicles are wanted in connection with crime.

Police are still hunting for those responsible for Friday's attack.

However, no one living near the scene of Friday's stabbings knew about the incident when questioned by a Wimbledon Guardian reporter on Wednesday.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It's the first I've heard of it.

"I don't go out at night. There are two gangs around here.

"They hang round the top of the road by the shops late at night - they are all black."

He welcomed the police operation, saying: "We usually only see the plastic ones round here."

Anyone with information about the assault should call Detective Constable Laura Scarlett at Wimbledon Police Station on 020 8649 3126 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.