A man has been hospitalised after being stabbed close to the Kew Gardens.

Police were called to Royal Parade just before 8.00 am on Sunday (January 20) following reports of a knife attack.

Gino Torelli who works at Cafe Torelli, told The MailOnline the man staggered to the cafe after being stabbed and collapsed on the pavement outside it.

Mr Torrelli said: "I was shocked to be honest – I haven't seen anything like this before. Seeing someone who has been stabbed is shocking.

"He was stabbed inches from his heart. It was a deep wound. He was screaming help - call an ambulance."

Mr Torrelli explained he and other café workers helped stem the blood from the man's wounds as he lay on the pavement and called 999.

"We were trying to help him. We got bandages and stemmed the blood. It was very terrible - he is lucky to be alive," Mr Torelli said.

The victim, who is in his 50s, was taken to hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

A cordon is in place at the scene - just five minutes' walk from the gates of the botanical gardens.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing, a spokesman for the Met said.

The investigation is being conducted by Richmond CID.