Man stabbed to death on Oxford Street, London as 'sales' begin

Boxing Day shoppers on Oxford Street, near where a man was later stabbed. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

Paramedics tried to revive the stabbed man

A man has been stabbed to death on Oxford Street, in central London, police said.

The victim, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was killed near the junction with Stratford Place, opposite Bond Street underground station and near Footlocker.

Police said a number of arrests have been made after they were called at about 1.45pm. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and a cordon was put in place.

The stabbing happened on one of London's busiest shopping streets on the opening day of the post-Christmas sales, with thousands of shoppers in the area.

Hundreds of people were reported to be at the scene taking pictures and recording the man losing his life on their phones.

An employee at the nearby Disney Store said the shop had been forced to close because of the police cordon. "We are being quite badly affected, we are unlikely to open again today," the worker said.

They said a number of shops in the area had been closed as the cordon continued west along Oxford Street towards Selfridges.