Gunfire detectors could be installed to save lives in the event of a terrorist attack in Newham.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, agreed to look at installing the detectors in large shopping centres, stadiums and other public buildings across the capital during this morning’s Mayor’s Question Time.

The detectors, which could be installed at locations including Westfield Stratford City and the Olympic Stadium, would shorten police response times in the event of an attack similar to the one in Paris last month.

Conservative London Assembly member Kemi Badenoch, the spokesman on police and crime, said: “The current UK threat level indicates that a terror attack is ‘highly likely’, and London is an obvious target.

“Getting the most appropriate emergency response to the scene of an attack quickly can significantly reduce casualty numbers.

“We need to make sure we are fully prepared to deal with a Paris-style attack and gunfire detectors are a cost-effective solution that could save lives.”

The smoke alarm-sized device detects gunfire through sound and heat and alerts the appropriate authorities to an incident.

It has been trialled in the USA and costs between £13,000 and £65,000 depending on the size of the building.