A murder investigation has been launched after a teenager was knifed to death in the early hours of this morning.

Police were called to Goodmayes Road, Goodmayes, at 12.40am to reports of a stabbing.

Emergency services attended the scene and found a 19-year-old man suffering from stab injuries.

He was taken to hospital with a “stomach injury”, but pronounced dead an hour later.

Residents in the area reported a “commotion” outside a shisha bar on the street earlier that night.

A resident, who lives overlooking Goodmayes Road and wished to remain anonymous, said there were 80 to 90 teenagers congregating in the area at around 12pm, “which was unusual”.

He continued: “People kept coming. I heard men arguing and it kept getting louder, then there was a girl screaming.”

He added: “I think it was something over a girl.”

A 32-year-old woman said she saw a man being taken out of a shisha bar on a stretcher.

“When I looked outside, there were loads of police cars and an ambulance and they were carrying a young boy out on a stretcher.

“He had a oxygen mask on and a white sheet up to his neck. It looked bad.”

Neighbours claimed they heard the sound of a gunshot.

A resident of Primrose Avenue, a nearby residential street, said: “My wife saw three teenagers running and heard a loud crack that she thought was a firecracker.”

French tourists staying on Goodmayes Road said they heard a sound like a gunshot around the same time.

A police cordon continues and is expected to last for most of the day.

Goodmayes Road is still blocked in both directions between the A1083 Green Lane junction and A118 High Road junction.

Bus routes 364 and 387 remain on diversion.

Police believe they know the identity of the victim and his family have been informed.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are now investigating.

A post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

There have been no arrests at this time and enquiries continue.