Police investigating the murder of a 17-year-old boy in Ilford Town Centre have released a picture of him.

Detectives say there are as many as 30 witnesses to the stabbing of Croydon teen Kelvin Chibueze in a car park opposite Ilford Police station, High Road, at 4am on Monday.

The youngster was among a group celebrating a friend’s birthday at a premises off High Road when an argument spilled out on to the street where he was stabbed with a knife.

He died nine hours later in the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.

Det Ch Insp John Macdonald, leading the murder investigation, told the Recorder knives and other weapons were found at the scene, and the attack was not random.

It is not known at this stage if the weapons found are linked with the murder.

He added: “You’d expect a number of people would have come forward but no one has.

“People disappeared straight away. It underlines some of the difficulties we’re facing.”

The officer said CCTV images have captured some of the disturbance, adding 15 to 20 people were involved, with a similar number witnessing the confrontation.

“We may have to end up going through CCTV images and getting IDs from that,” said Mr Macdonald.

“People can come forward to speak to us or we will print the images.

“If they want to speak to us in confidence, I’m happy to speak to them.”

On Tuesday Ilford South MP Mike Gapes called for an end to the “subculture” of those carrying knives.

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