A team of police officers dedicated to targeting gangs is taking to the streets of London in a bid to tackle knife crime.

Police announced the creation of the 75-man taskforce on the same day that another teenager died after being attacked by a masked gang.

Shakilus Townsend, 16, pleaded for his mother as he lay wounded in the street in Thornton Heath, south London.

Shakilus's death came as three teenagers appeared in court in the north of the city accused of stabbing 16-year-old Ben Kinsella to death at the weekend and while police continued to investigate fatal knife attacks on Tunisian Hamouda Bessaad, 34, in Old Kent Road on Monday, and Dee Willis, 28, in Peckham on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson emphasised that tackling knife crime was the force's "number one priority".

Speaking at a Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) meeting, he said the officers would be deployed to the worst affected of London's 32 boroughs "with immediate effect".

Teams of officers have already been deploying to trouble hotspots since the launch of Operation Blunt 2 in May.

Armed with wands and knife arches, the officers have been carrying out searches using powers under Section 60 of the Public Order Act, which allows them to operate under the presumption of reasonable suspicion.

Earlier in the week Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair announced that 1,214 people were arrested for possession of weapons and other knife-related crimes as part of the operation between May 19 and June 29.

A total of 528 knives were recovered as a result of 26,777 searches, after the blitz was launched in response to a wave of killings, particularly among teenagers, in the capital.

Many were recovered during stop and search operations in high streets and at transport hubs, while others were found in weapons stashes.

Mr Stephenson said: "Sadly, in recent days two more young people have been stabbed to death. Clearly the message is not getting through.

"To build on the co-ordinated activity already being carried out by all 32 London police borough command units under Blunt 2, we are increasing the police officer strengths in those boroughs most affected with immediate effect with the establishment of a dedicated 75-strong Blunt 2 taskforce.

"This is being drawn from resources across the Met - under the leadership of Commander Maxine de Brunner - to increase the drive against known gang members and their associates. It will also increase our pro-active capability in relation to supporting our search operations.

"In addition, senior officers have been tasked to review all current police operations and to identify whether further officers can be diverted to support the effort locally in areas where the knife problem is causing the most concern. This reflects that tackling knife crime is the number one priority for the Met at this time."

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