A paramedic was left in tears after battling for more than an hour to save the life of a teenager who was stabbed in a terrifying street fight in east London.

Neighbours said the brawl involving two boys was so ferocious that a pizza delivery driver locked himself in his van for safety.

Police called to Byford Close in Stratford at 6.45pm last night found the victim, aged about 16, with knife wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

London’s violent crime epidemic has seen five teenagers murdered in less than a month.

The latest victim is the 99th person to be killed in the capital this year, 19 of whom were teenagers.

Father-of-five Sadekur Rahman, 41, said a paramedic burst into tears when the boy passed away after he had tried with colleagues to save his life. He said: “I saw paramedics pumping a boy’s chest.

“The paramedics tried for over an hour — one of them burst into tears. They tried so hard.”

Another witness told how a pizza delivery driver had locked himself in his van as the boys fought in the street. He had pulled up in the road to make a delivery but the bystander, a mother of three, said: “He was so scared he got back in his vehicle and locked the door.

“There is a lot of drug dealing here but I don’t think this was about that. It tends to be men in their twenties and thirties dealing.”

Scotland Yard said a murder investigation had been launched, and that a post-mortem examination and formal identification were due to take place. A crime scene tent remained in place at the scene today as forensic science officers searched for clues.

Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “Devastated to hear that a teenage boy lost his life to knife violence in Newham last night. Police are working tirelessly to find those responsible. I urge anyone with information to call police or Crime- stoppers. There is no honour in staying silent.”

Fifteen of the 19 youngsters killed so far this year in London were stabbing victims. They include Santino Dymiter, 18, knifed to death in Plaistow nine days ago.