Waltham Forest Council insists it “will not allow gangs to win” amid a spate of murders in the borough.

The local authority said its neighbourhood officers would be deployed for extra shifts in the coming weeks and it was working closely with the Met to bring an end to the recent bloodshed.

Three people have been killed in stabbings and shootings in the borough over the past month, while several others have been injured during attacks.

The council also said it had been working with London South Bank University to prepare a gang prevention strategy, set to be published next month.

“This is not just a problem for Waltham Forest,” said Martin Esom, Waltham Forest Council chief executive.

“This affects all of London and we are working closely with London Councils, neighbouring boroughs and the Greater London Authority to look for solutions.

“Residents should know that the safety of their families and their loved ones is our number one priority.

“This is our borough. We will not allow the gangs to win. Our young people deserve a future free from violence.”

Some 50 people have been killed in stabbings and shootings across London since the beginning of 2018, while three people have been murdered in Walthamstow in less than a month.

On March 14, 20-year-old Joseph Williams-Torres was shot and killed in Essex Close, before 41-year-old Jermaine Johnson was stabbed to death in Vallentin Road on March 19.

Those two killings were followed on Monday evening by the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Leyton boy Amaan Shakoor outside Walthamstow Leisure Centre in Markhouse Road.

A man in his 20s is now in a stable condition in hospital following another stabbing in Billet Road, Walthamstow on Thursday afternoon.