Crush chaos at Ikea store opening
Several people were hurt in the crush as thousands flocked to the midnight opening of Ikea's newest store.
The shop stayed open for just 30 minutes because of safety fears at the store in Edmonton, north London.
Five people were taken to hospital, one with chest pains, and up to 20 suffered from heat exhaustion.
Police said the stabbing of a man, in his 20s, near the store at about 0130 GMT was unrelated. He was also taken to hospital where his condition is stable.
Ikea said its flagship store, the biggest in England, had to close because of an "unforeseen volume of customers".
People became agitated and eventually they started trying to charge the doors
Eye-witness Patrick Passley
An Ikea spokeswoman said the company was "deeply shocked, upset and concerned" and blamed a queue "surge" for the crush.
Bargain-hunters even abandoned their cars on the A406 north circular causing severe traffic problems, the Met said.
Advertising announcing cut price offers over 24 hours attracted between 4,000 and 6,000 people to the store, according to the London Ambulance Service.
Eye-witness Patrick Passley told BBC News there was a lack of security and trouble flared when queue-jumpers got into the store past some customers who had been waiting outside since about 1800 GMT.
He said: "They (Ikea staff) quickly closed the doors after a lot of people got in by jumping the queue.
Damaged doors
"People became agitated and eventually they started trying to charge the doors."
Patricia Ming said when the doors opened one woman "pushed her way forward screaming with excitement" then the crowd rushed in through the doors.
"The doors remained opened for at least 15 minutes while crowds barged through the doors and the security guards just stood out the way as otherwise they would have been trampled," she said.
Ian Burlinson, of north London, said he was thrown to the ground as people surged forward and had to be rescued by a passer-by.
Safety issues
He said: "It was all very chaotic and extremely distressing."
Ikea said it had worked closely with the emergency services in planning for the opening but said the store would remain closed until further notice.
A spokesperson told BBC News they would not be reopening until safety issues had been considered and doors damaged in the rush repaired.
Founded in Sweden in 1943, the company has proved a hit with British homeowners since opening its first UK store in 1987.
