By Gareth Davies

gareth.davies@essnmedia.co.uk

A teenager has been charged with attempting to murder a 16-year-old boy.

The 17-year-old was arrested on Tuesday night after police linked him to an attack in Lloyd Park in March which left a youth with 13 stab wounds.

The suspect, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Croydon Youth Court on Wednesday.

He was surrounded by four security officers during the short hearing, and his lawyer made no application for bail. He was committed for trial at the Old Bailey, with preliminary proceedings due to begin on July 17.

The charge follows police investigations into the incident on March 3.

Dozens of police officers descended on the park after being told a teenager had been stabbed "multiple times".

However, when ambulance crews arrived at the scene, at around 8.50pm on March 3, they were initially unable to find the victim. A police helicopter was called and, with the aid of the aircraft's spotlight, the teenager was located.

At the time local councillor David Fitze insisted the incident was out of character for a park he described as a "genuinely safe and pleasant place".