Boy, 16, dies after gang cut his throat in the street in Welling

A teenage boy has been stabbed to death in south-east London despite the efforts of members of the public at the scene and medical staff to save him.

Police were called at about 5pm on Friday after reports that the 16-year-old, who has not been named, had been knifed in Upper Wickham Lane in Welling.

The teenager, who is believed to live locally but has not been formally identified by his family, died in hospital about an hour later.

The Metropolitan police said they had arrested a male in connection with the death.

Sam Pope, 19, who works at a florist near to where the stabbing occurred said she had discovered the teenager bleeding to death on the street and saw three boys fleeing the scene.

"I had just gone outside for a cigarette when I saw blood on the ground," she said.

"It was not a very nice scene. The boy was standing up and I saw blood absolutely pouring out of his neck." Angela Read, 48, who owns the florist and joined Pope at the scene, described the futile efforts she and other local shop workers made to save the teenager's life.

Someone from a pharmacy had thrown out kitchen towels and a woman from another shop had brought out some towels, she said.

"We tried to suppress the bleeding but if you had been a top professional you wouldn't have saved the lad. There was blood all over the pavement and we watched his life slip away in front of us."

A police spokesman said: "We were called by London Ambulance Service at about 5pm following a report of a male stabbed on Upper Wickham Lane.

"Officers from the homicide and serious crime command have been informed. A male has been arrested in connection with the investigation and remains in custody at a south London police station."

The news comes as police said they had arrested two 17-year-old boys on Friday in connection with the stabbing of Andrew Jaipaul who was stabbed to death near Andover Road, in Holloway, north London, on 26 June.

Police said they believe the 21-year-old died following an attack by a group of between 12 and 20 males, in their teens and early 20s.

A post mortem showed Jaipaul died from "multiple incised stab wounds".