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Rookie reporter captures stabbing incident on camera

Camden Gazette trainee reporter Ed Davey found himself caught up in the terrifying wave of knife violence sweeping across London.

The 23-year-old, who has been at the Archant London title for just four months, witnessed a stabbing on the streets of Kentish Town – and captured it all on his camera.

Members of the public watched in horror as two men grappled on the ground before one was stabbed in the head.

Bystanders restrained one of the men until police arrived and a knife was retrieved – but Ed, who had been driving past the scene, kept his camera clicking as the blood spilled across the road.

He offered himself as a witness to police then interviewed one of the people involved in the struggle, a 32-year-old community worker who claimed he had been chasing a man he suspected of being a drug dealer.

The Gazette ran the story and pictures under the headline: “Knife crime is all too bloody real” and Ed’s story was picked up by the national press and TV stations.

It was only when the drama was over that Ed, (pictured, right), realised how close he might have come to being attacked himself.

He said: “I was driving past and suddenly saw in my rear view mirror two men run out and start fighting in the middle of the road. I screeched to a halt, got out my camera and started taking pictures.

“I suddenly thought – if the knifeman wins this fight I might be next. It sounds a cliché but I was acting on pure adrenaline. You know you’ve been in the thick of it when you come back to the office with a blood-stained notebook.”

While the drama was going on, his car was ticketed by a traffic warden. He is hoping that Camden Council will agree to waive the fine.

North London Newspapers group editor Tony Allcock said: “Ed has this uncanny knack of always seeming to be in the right place at the right time.

“He’s come up with a string of exclusives in his short time with us and this is more than just coincidence. His inquisitive nature and his sharp news sense enable him to ‘stumble’ upon stories that many reporters would never find. He seems to have an intuition when things are going to happen.

“Perhaps he’s psychic – I don’t know. But long may it continue!”

A 42-year-old man was arrested by police on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.