A fifth of all murders in London can be linked back to Merton, according to a report published this week.

Since 2016 there has been a 21 per cent increase in knife crime in the borough with about 15 attacks taking place each month.

The highest level is seen in Figge’s Marsh and Cricket Green, accounting for 30 per cent of all knife crime offences in the borough.

Colliers Wood and Pollards Hill are the see the third and fourth highest levels respectively.

But the increase in offences is less than half the increase that has been seen across London.

The report by Neil Thurlow, head of Safer Merton, said: “Merton has not been unaffected by this increase [in 2018] in murder rate and knife crime.

“We have had one murder on borough, we have seen one ex-Merton young person killed in Camberwell and, through work undertaken by the youth offending team, they estimate that "London’s murders can be linked back to Merton, in some way, in an alarming 20% of cases.”

It goes on to say that police cannot deal with the ‘pandemic’ of knife crime alone.

A Met Police spokesman said "This is true to an extent, but requires further clarification."

"The statistics mentioned in this news piece are based on 39 incidents which were in direct relation to knife crime across London, not specifically in the borough of Merton," he said.

"The headline was taken from a report collated to tackle both the issue of knife crime and to offer the victim’s families and friends the appropriate level of support they need in such a terrible time."

For this a ‘knife crime plan’ which is set to be signed off by Friday, September 14.

This will include how other organisations could contribute to weapon sweeps in the borough.

It will also include what front-line staff, like wardens and street cleaners, should do if they come across a weapon and whether training needs to be provided by the police for these groups.

The report is set to be discussed by Merton Council’s Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations on Tuesday (September 11).

The committee will meet at Merton Civic Centre at 7.15pm.