A murder investigation has been launched after a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed in Ilford this morning died in hospital.

Kevin Chibueze died at 1pm following surgery at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.

Just hours earlier, at 4am, paramedics and police were called to the scene in High Road, close to the police station.

Detectives believe two groups, containing 15 to 20 people in total, were involved in a disturbance following a private party at a property off High Road.

The argument spilled out into High Road, and then into the car park next to Lidl and Fitness First, where it is believe the teenager was stabbed.

An incident room has opened at the Homicide and Serious Crime Command under Det Ch Insp John Macdonald.

Mr Macdonald said: “There were people shouting and bottles thrown in what is a busy area even at that time of night.

“My appeal is to members of the public who may have seen what was going on to contact us and also anyone involved in these two groups to come forward and tell us what happened.”

A post-mortem examination on the body of Mr Chibueze, of Croydon, will take place on Wednesday in East Ham.

Forensics officers have spent most of today at the scene of the stabbing, with a cordon in place form Ilford Police Station to Lynton House.

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8345 3985 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.