Two police officers were stabbed in central London on Friday and are currently being treated in hospital, the Metropolitan Police Service said, adding that a man had been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and assaulting an emergency worker.

The incident was not terror related and neither of the two officers were in a life-threatening condition, London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC.

"On Friday, 16 September at around 06:00hrs (0500 GMT) police encountered a male with a knife in the area of Leicester Square. Two officers received stab wounds and are currently being treated in hospital," the police statement said.

The arrested man was also taken to a hospital for treatment where he remains at this time, police said. (Reporting by William James. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)