Our high street has been terrorised by gangs of youths – it is falling apart & KFC machete rampage is tip of iceberg

TERRIFIED locals say they fear their high street is “falling apart” after a shocking broad daylight machete rampage started inside a KFC.

Locals told The Sun how the brutal attack has sent shockwaves of fear through the community – after four people, including three boys aged between 14 and 17, were stabbed.

The attack happened on Bromley High Street, with witnesses describing scenes of chaos as alleged offenders – apparently armed with machetes – fled through the busy town centre.

A man and seven boys have now been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remain in police custody – as cops have said there is no wider threat to the public.

But locals told The Sun they fear the attack is another sign that they worry their traditionally leafy, safe borough is changing.

Pensioner Yvonne Foreman, who does her shopping in Bromley, said: “It’s bloody awful all this violence, we don’t want it here.

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“You just don’t expect such violent incidents to happen anywhere really, least of all in such a busy spot in the middle of the day, I would say the town centre here is very safe usually.”

More locals have expressed the same concerns, with some branding criminals “fearless” and “shocking”.

Police data compiled by crimerate.co.uk appears to show the borough has seen a 53 per cent increase in public order offences in the last three years.

And there has been a 40 per cent increases in thefts.

The platform’s data also showed total crime is also marginally higher than three years ago – but stats show Bromley still remains one of the safest London Boroughs and with a crime rate 7 per cent lower than the national average.

But the shocking violent scenes on the high street did little to ease residents’ concerns that their town centre is becoming blighted by disorder and decline.

Gianfranco Convertini, 33, a neighbouring business owner at Unico Italian Delicates, said: “The scenes yesterday were absolutely chaotic and terrifying.

“Hopefully those injured have a speedy recovery. And I hope those in power, the police and government, can get a grip of these issues.”

Joy Haig, a stall trader who lives nearby in Beckenham, said: “It was very emotional yesterday.

“Our stall has moved down a tiny bit while the scaffold is up so we are a bit further away now, but a customer came here and said she ran out of KFC when she saw someone whip out a massive knife.

“I think it is really sad that people would do this, and I think it is a sad reflection of our society at the moment. I really hope things get better.”

Darren, 43, another stall trader who has lived in Bromley his whole life, said: “Straight away the word got around about what happened and there was a feeling of terror.

“Generally the town is nice but for this to happen in broad daylight is shocking.”

A hairdresser, who works in a salon on the high street, said she and her colleagues locked the shop following the incident.

The woman, in her 30s, said: “It was so scary yesterday, we were busy as it was the middle of the day, and ultimately decided to lock the shop and tried to get on as normal to be honest.

“There were people running around all over the place it was absolutely mental, like nothing I’ve seen here before.”

She added: “I have always said that you get trouble everywhere, but I think issues here are definitely becoming more and more frequent.

“Yesterday’s was by far the worst, but we have all sorts of petty thefts and issues with drunks spoiling the town centre.

“It’s definitely getting worse and it puts people off coming, and you see that with the boarded up shops on the road.”

“I think responsibility has to lay with someone, whether it be Sadiq Khan or Andy Burnham, because it’s not good enough.”

Business owners aren’t the only concerned residents, however, with some parents fearful over how this may effect their children.

Kate Sweeney, 38, said: “I am concerned because my daughter just started secondary school and her friends get the bus on the high street and this is their first proper weeks, they are only 11.

“As a mother I am very worried about the children and what they could be exposed to in the town centre.

“I was going to come into town yesterday but I had this gut feeling, a deep funeral and morbid like feeling in my bones that there would be trouble.”

Fred Savage, 47, who has lived in Bromley his whole life, said: “It’s shocking that this supposed gang war has happened in my town centre, we don’t want this in our area.

“I’ve never know this in Bromley so it is a shock but maybe a sign of where things are going.”

Pauline Bailey, 70, who has lived in Bromley with her husband for around 30 years, said: “It shakes you up hearing about these crazy incidents.

“We keep aware and keep our eyes open nowadays because you don’t know if you could be targeted.

“It would be fair to say we are looking over our shoulders, and I am very worried about the future of the place, which for the whole time we have lived here, hasn’t really seen chaos like this.”

The Met spokesperson said: “The boys were taken to hospital where they received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

“The man was also taken to hospital in a critical condition, however, following medical assessment, his injuries have since been deemed non-life-threatening.

“All four of those injured, along with four other boys aged between 14 and 17, have since been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remain in police custody.”