Man arrested after brandishing a meat cleaver in Islington Nando's

The meat cleaver recovered from the scene by police (Met Police)

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray and criminal damage after brandishing a meat cleaver in a north London branch of Nando's on Monday afternoon.

Police were called at 3.10pm on 8 August to the restaurant on Upper Street in Islington.

The man, who has not been named, reportedly grabbed the blade from the kitchen after punching a fellow diner.

He is reported to have went ‘beserk' and tried to attack another customer after a row erupted among a group of five people, according to accounts in the http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/terror-of-diners-as-man-goes-berserk-with-meat-cleaver-in-islington-nandos-a3315036.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Evening Standard.

Police confirmed a 20-year-old man was arrested and is currently being held in custody.

He is believed to have grabbed the 10in blade from a chef's worktop and began waving it around, trying to slash at one of the men. He then hurled the meat cleaver at the front window, witnesses said.

PSCOs on foot patrol raised the alarm and the restaurant's manager called 999.

A diner told the paper: "There were four guys at a table and a man came in with his girlfriend and sat next to them.

"The man punched one of them in the face and they started exchanging blows.

"The fight escalated and they all went outside before the guy came back in and grabbed a meat cleaver."

Around 14 diners were thought to be in the Nando's branch at the time, including two children.

An Islington Police spokesman said: "The manager of Nando's called police, saying that a man had grabbed a meat cleaver from their kitchen and was waving it towards another male in the restaurant.

"Two PCSOs on patrol were passing by and saw the male, they alerted PCs and directed them to him.

"The males involved all knew each other and it was part of a personal dispute."

Islington police Tweeted: "Male arrested in #nandos on #upperstreet fighting people with this meat cleaver. Not terror related & no one hurt."