Jodie Chesney, 17, was brutally stabbed to death in a park in Romford last night

ByRoss Ibbetsonand Zoie O'brienand Tim Stickings For Mailonline

The 17-year-old girl scout stabbed to death on Friday was killed in cold blood as two men walked straight up to her and one of them knifed her in the back, police have revealed.

Jodie Chesney was murdered while playing music with her boyfriend, 18-year-old Eddie Coyle, and four other friends in Harold Hill, Romford.

Friends say the shocking killing may have been a case of mistaken identity and Jodie had no connection to any local gangs.

Police have said the killer was a black teenager who had been in the park with another man earlier in the evening, before returning at 9.30pm and stabbing Ms Chesney in the back.

The two suspects then ran off while her heartbroken boyfriend screamed for help and 'stroked and kissed her face' as she lay bleeding to death, witnesses have said.

Mr Coyle left an emotional message on a card nearby, saying: 'Jodie you are the best thing that could have happened in my life. I will love you always and you will forever be in my heart beautiful.'

Jodie's mother Claire Gillham also left flowers at the scene of the murder today while her grandmother called for an end to 'needless violence'.

Detectives are appealing for further witnesses but have yet to make any arrests.

A post-mortem at East Ham mortuary today confirmed her cause of death as trauma and haemorrhage, Scotland Yard said.

Claire Gillham, mother of Jodie Chesney (far right) pays her respects at the scene at St Neots Road, Harold Hill where Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death

Tributes: People lay flowers for Jodie Chesney after the 17-year-old Scout Explorer was knifed to death in London

Investigation: Police officers search near the scene of the murder on St Neot's Road in Harold Hill

The scene of the crime in Romford where Jodie Chesney was knifed to death. Forensic police officers search the park as flowers and lanterns are left nearby

Ms Chesney was an enthusiastic Scout Explorer who had visited Downing Street in November posting on Instagram that it was 'so much fun' and 'I'm basically famous now.'

She was also selected to honour the Chelsea Pensioners at the Royal Albert Hall, appearing in a BBC broadcast last year in front of the Queen and Prince William.

Speaking to ITV News her uncle Dave Chesney said the family was 'devastated', adding: 'This was a totally random and unprovoked attack on a beautiful, lovely and quirky young girl with her whole life in front of her.'

Her grandmother Debbie Chesney said: 'This was our youngest granddaughter. How have we come to this point where kids can’t have a walk in a park without suffering an unprovoked attack?

'If anyone knows anything about this please contact the police with information. We don’t want anyone else to go through what our family is suffering right now.

'This has to stop, there are too many young people having their lives cut short by needless violence.'

Witness Krystle Pasha, who lives close to the scene of the stabbing, told Sky News she heard arguing and shouting before a 'disturbing' scream in the moments before the attack.

Another witness, mother-of-three Teresa Farenden, 49, and her friend Kelly Smith, 36, said two men stabbed the teenage girl in front of her boyfriend before fleeing.

Mrs Farenden said: 'I was trying to do my coat up in the drive and I shouted out 'is everything okay?' as I was worried it could be kids drinking. Then a boy said 'no I need help, my girlfriend has been stabbed' and I just flew over there in my flip flops.

'We tried to compress the wound to stop the bleeding but there was just so much. It was like being in a horror movie. When I got there she was breathing but it was very shallow, she was groaning and there was a slight pulse.

'The boyfriend was holding her and kissing her face. He was whispering and begging her, 'Please, please stay awake'.

Jodie Chesney, 17, (circled in red) is stood next to Explorer Scouts at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2018. Just months later she would be stabbed to death in a London park

Jodie Chesney was stabbed in the back and lay bleeding to death in a park on Friday night. Her boyfriend comforted her as neighbours of the park ran over to try and save her

Police officers remain at the scene of the killing on Sunday as officers try to track down her attackers - believe to be a group of young men

Flowers describing Jodie as an 'angel' were left at the scene near Amy's Park after Jodie was killed on Friday

The park remains closed off with a blue tent still in place as officers comb the area for clues as to who the attackers were

Just hours before her death Ms Chesney posted an Instagram picture which said: 'Happy birthday Dad' and tagged Pete Chesney on his 39th

Friends lay flowers at the scene in Harold Hill, Romford where Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death. Police and forensic teams remain at the scene today

Jodie Chesney with her boyfriend Ed Coyle who comforted her and kissed her face as she lay dying

Mrs Farenden said: 'The ambulance arrived and I told the 999 call handler. She asked me to stay on the phone until the crew had reached us on the park. And in that moment the girl died.

'I turned to look at her and my friend, who had come to help, just said, 'We've lost her'.'

Mrs Farenden - whose house faces the park - began CPR but did not realise the blade remained lodged in Jodie's back. It is believed she was stabbed with such force that the blade snapped, meaning those who tried to help her could not see it.

She added: 'The knife blade was still in her, but I didn't see it because it was dark.

'I didn't realise at the time, but then all I kept thinking once the police told me was 'have I put the knife in further by giving her compressions?''

She added: 'It was horrific, it was just the blood. There must've been two pints of blood. There was so much of it.

'The girl was moaning, but she was mostly silent. We checked her pulse and we could hear her breathing.'

Mrs Farenden went on: 'People are scared to help, but all I was thinking with my mother's instinct was I need to help.

'Her boyfriend did everything he could. When I came over she was on her back so I moved her onto her side.

'Then the boyfriend's friend came over with some kitchen roll.

'Then there was another girl and a man came over in a van to help and took his coat off to keep it on the wound and keep it compressed as much as they could.

'I think he was the dad of one of the boyfriend's friends. I was just trying to keep her legs in the recovery position because she was heavy, like a dead weight.

'Just as the ambulance crew turned up, she had gone. It was devastating. My heart is with the family how something so devastating like that could happen to a young girl.'

Ms Chesney in her girl scouts uniform outside 10 Downing Street, she was described as a 'bright and lovely' A-level student who was involved in the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme

When emergency services arrived, Jodie Chesney (left and right) still had the blade lodged in her back as horrified neighbours rushed to save her life

A message left today at the park said: 'Jodie, We love you. You are so strong. We will always remember you'

Mourners gathered at the park in Harold Hill on Saturday after she bled to death within an hour of being stabbed on Friday night

A young man arrives to place a bouquet of flowers near the scene of the tragic fatal stabbing - she has been described by other teens from the area as 'the most happy person'

Police were called to reports of a stabbing in children's park close to St Neot's Road in Harold Hill at 9.25pm on Friday, where they found the girl with slash wounds. Pictured: Forensic officers at the scene this morning

Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death in a park as she sat with her boyfriend on Friday night. 'Disturbing' screams were heard by neighbours

Sadiq Khan said he was 'filled with anger' and 'devastated' by the killing of the teenage girl - as murders in the capital soar

Debbie Chesney, Jodie's grandmother, said: 'We don't want anyone else to go through what our family is suffering right now'

Mrs Farenden added: 'It is so traumatic - she is not going to have any children, she is not going to get married - it has all been taken away.

'She was such an attractive girl and her boyfriend was a lovely looking lad.

'It just seems so random; it must've been horrific for her boyfriend and those other young people there to experience.

'It is just unreal - I think God, it could have been my daughter.'

Acting Detective Chief Superintendent John Ross, of the Met's East Area Command Unit, said: 'Yesterday a 17-year-old girl lost her life, and I want to express my deepest sympathies to this girl's family and friends.

'Her death is a tragedy. I can reassure them and the whole community that we are doing everything possible to identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible.'

Sadiq Khan said he was 'filled with anger' and 'devastated' by the killing of the teenager.

In a tweet this morning, the Mayor of London said: 'Devastated by the fatal stabbing of a 17 year-old girl in Havering.

'My thoughts are with her loved ones. It fills me with anger that violent criminals are targeting young Londoners with their whole lives before them. I encourage anyone with information to contact the police.'