EMBATTLED Notting Hill cops were forced to haul away 126 revellers in cuffs after sex offenders, drug dealers, and knife thugs launched a carnival crimewave.

The arrests - made on the traditionally peaceful 'family day' - came as four new victims of London's knife epidemic were rushed to hospital with stab wounds.

Two teenagers were stabbed during a brawl in Harrow, just hours before two lone women were separately knifed in Bow.

Eight festival-goers were arrested for assaulting officers, while a further 20 were hauled off for possessing offensive weapons.

Scotland Yard dispatched over SIX THOUSAND officers to the carnival amid fears of gang-fuelled acid attacks on revellers.

Among those arrested were two suspected sex offenders and 42 people nabbed with drugs.

A further 12 were caught with psychoactive drugs, while three thieves were caught in the act.

police announced powers to stop and search people at Notting Hill Carnival in a bid to crack down on violence.

Scotland Yard said it would be imposing a Section 60 order across the carnival's geographical area between 9am and 11.59pm on Sunday.

The order allows officers to search people if they believe they may be carrying offensive weapons or in anticipation of violence.

Notting Hill Carnival Gold Commander, Dave Musker, said: "The MPS has worked tirelessly to develop an appropriate and proportionate policing plan.

“However, given the intelligence picture and incidents of violence I have seen across the city over the last week, I have made the decision to authorise this order as an additional preventative measure.

"The use of this authority will reassure our communities that we are constantly working to protect them.

"It will also send a message to those intent on committing acts of violence that we will robustly target them."

He added: "I have not made this decision lightly, but with the safety and security of all those planning to attend this event in the forefront of my mind.

The measure is part of a number of plans put in place by the force to help keep carnival-goers safe after a wave of violent crime in the capital in recent months.

The two-day event will also be policed by the highest number of officers in six years, with some 13,000 officers deployed in total - around 450 more than last year.

Undercover police officers as well as officers from the force's firearms and dog unit will be in place.

The event is expected to attract more than one million revellers to its floats, food stalls and music.