A 14-year-old boy has been stabbed to death on a double-decker bus in what police have described as “a horrendous crime”.

The victim was killed on the 472 bus on Woolwich Church Street near the junction with the A205 South Circular Road in Woolwich, south-east London, at about 14:30 GMT.

The teenager died at the scene shortly after paramedics from London Ambulance Service and the air ambulance arrived, the Metropolitan Police added.

Ch Supt Louise Sargent said: “Our thoughts at the time are with the victim’s family and friends… I can’t imagine what they must be going through right now.”

No arrests have been made but a police cordon and road closures remain in place.

The latest stabbing comes just three months after another teenage boy lost his life to knife crime in Woolwich.

Daèjaun Campbell, 15, was fatally stabbed in September.

Following his death, his mother Jodie Taylor pleaded for the “senseless killing” to stop.

Last year, 11 teenage boys lost their lives to homicide in London.

This is the lowest number since 2012, but many are calling for far more to be done.

Matthew Pennycook, Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, said he was “deeply saddened that yet another young life has been lost in our community”.

His post added: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased.”

Mark Rodney, the chief executive of Project Lifeline, an organisation that works to tackle youth knife crime, described the killing as “another devastating blow for the community”.

“We need to take heed in what’s really happening in our communities and start seeking other channels to find solutions,” he said.

“He’s a child, he’s a baby, he hasn’t lived his life yet.

“The wounds are not healed yet in the community from the death of Daèjaun.

“I believe two weeks ago, this young man was paying tribute by flowers to a young man that passed in September, not knowing that today, he was going to be that person.

“Two weeks ago, he didn’t believe he was going to be in this situation today.”

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: “My thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community in Greenwich following the appalling fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy.

“This heartbreaking violence has absolutely no place in our city.

“I am in close contact with police leaders – an investigation is under way and local residents will see increased patrols in the local area.”

The London Ambulance Service said it sent an ambulance crew, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer and a paramedic from its tactical response unit, and London’s Air Ambulance.

A spokesperson said “despite the best efforts of our crews”, the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.