Police on a routine patrol of Hackney, east London, found the teenager lying in the street early on Saturday morning and he was pronounced dead soon afterwards.

The victim, named locally as 17-year-old Jahmal Mason-Blair, had dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, according to friends and family who visited the scene to pay their respects and lay floral tributes.

She said: "He liked football and you never saw him without a football and he wanted to become a professional footballer.

"That's the worst thing, he had a goal in his life and he was pursuing it and he wanted to make something of himself.

Anybody with information should call the incident room on 0208 8345 1570 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.