A man has been arrested over the murder of Jodie Chesney who was stabbed to death in an east London park.

The suspect was detained in Leicester after the 17-year-old girl was attacked in Romford on Friday evening.

The Metropolitan Police has said arrangements are being made to transport the man to London.

His name and age have not been revealed by police.

Jodie was playing music with five of her friends in Harold Hill when they were approached by two males.


One of the men stabbed Jodie in the back before the pair fled the scene without saying anything.

Image: Jodie pictured outside 10 Downing Street four months ago

Jodie was pronounced dead an hour after police were called at 9.25pm.

She died from trauma and haemorrhage.

Jodie was reportedly cradled by her boyfriend Eddie Coyle while she lay dying as he urged her to "please stay awake".

She became the 18th person to be killed in London this year and the first female teenage victim.

One of her friends, 18-year-old Lucy Elkin, said the attack was "unprovoked".

She told Sky News: "There's no justification of any sort for something like this."

Image: Jodie's father, right, was with family members who observed tributes at the Romford park on Monday

Jodie had visited Downing Street with the Scouts in November and posed for a picture with members of her troop outside the front door of Number 10.

Her father and other family members have been seen hugging each other near the scene of the attack as flowers were laid in tribute.

Jodie was killed the day before 17-year-old Yousef Makki was stabbed to death in Hale Barns in Greater Manchester.

Two teenagers, also 17, have been charged over his death.

Theresa May has faced a backlash after claiming a rise in knife crime is not linked to falling police numbers.

The chairman of the Police Federation accused her of having "contempt for policing" after she made the claims.