Man stabbed at Urban Music Awards

Rex Features

A man was stabbed at Saturday's Urban Music Awards at the O2 Arena, reports claim.

The incident took place an hour into the ceremony when a huge brawl broke out, leading to the show being abandoned.

The victim, 27, is in a critical condition in hospital. Two other people are being treated for minor injuries, also thought to be stabbings.

"Security was so slack," music reviewer Chris Miller told the BBC. "Even when we were waiting outside in the press area for stars to arrive, it was a melee."

Onlooker Natalie Williams, 32, said: "There was no security, nothing. Before anything even happened I commented to my boyfriend, because we live nearby and come here a lot, and we usually get screened coming into the building. Tonight there was nothing."

Stars including Estelle, Adele, Leona Lewis and Duffy were nominated for awards at the ceremony, but it is not yet known which celebrities attended.

In 2004, a woman was shot outside the Urban Music Awards while they were being held at London's Barbican Centre.