Police investigating the death of a 17-year-old in Broad

Green this morning (Saturday) have revealed a row with a taxi

driver may have sparked the fight which ended with the

teenager's death.

Officers now want the driver to come forward and have

described the suspect only as a white male.

The teenage boy was stabbed in the neck during a brawl in

Sumner Road.

A scuffle had broken out between six to eight men near the

junction with London Road at about 1.30am.

This afternoon a Met Police spokeswoman appealed for the cab

driver to come forward.

She said: "We are trying to find the driver of a blue Ford

Mondeo cab who we think dropped off the suspect in Sumner Road

near to the junction with London Road at about 1am.

"The suspect, described only as a white male, got out of the

cab and was involved in an argument with the driver.

"It is now known that after the row with the cab driver,

words were exchanged with the victim and his friends standing

nearby.

"The suspect then left the scene but returned a little later

and was again involved in an exchange of words with the victim

and his friends which resulted in the victim being injured.

"The suspect was last seen walking north in London

Road."

It is thought the cabbie drove off towards London Road.

The victim – a Sri Lankan Tamil believed to live locally -

suffered a serious knife wound to the neck and died about three

hours later in Mayday.

No weapon has yet been recovered and no arrests made.

DCI Tim Grattan-Kane said: "We really need to trace the

driver of the cab as he may hold the key to the identity of the

suspect.

"It is not known at this time what the argument was about

either with the cab driver or the group but anyone with

information about the incident should call us."

A post mortem is now underway at St Helier Hospital.

A young woman in her 20s who lives nearby but insisted on

remaining anonymous said: "I heard a lot of shouting at about

1am.

"When I looked out I saw a young guy lying on the pavement

with two others trying to get him up.

"I knew it was serious when one of the men shouted 'Quick,

call an ambulance'.

"I saw the injured guy's legs kick out like he was having a

fit, which made me scared."

She said she often saw groups of youths drinking alcohol or

smoking cannabis outside or near the Totesport betting shop,

opposite the murder scene.

Four forensics officers wearing protective suits and white

masks were at the scene all morning.

Soon after 1pm eight officers dressed head-to-toe in boiler

suits began to inspect London Road for any clues, and combed

through litter bins.

A 300-yard stretch of London Road – together with short

sections of Sumner Road and Wellington Road – remain cordoned

off, with detours for buses via Roman Way.

Jenny Bamford, 20, who lives in Wellington Road about 300

yards from the murder scene, said: "I heard about five or six

people arguing outside at about 11pm, and then it happened

again at around 1am.

"I've got a young baby and it makes me sick to think a

killer is on the loose so close to my home."

London Ambulance Service staff took him to nearby Mayday

Hospital, where doctors battled to save him.

But he was pronounced dead at 4.30am.

A spokesman for London Ambulance said: "We were called at

1.30am to reports of a stabbing in Sumner Road.

"We sent an ambulance crew, a fast response car and a

medical team including a doctor."

Aslam Rafique, owner of Haj & Sons Butchers', in London

Road, says there is often trouble in the area.

Speaking at about 10am this morning, he said: "This has

affected us terribly. This should be our busiest time of the

day but we've been open since 8am and haven't had a single

customer or delivery.

"All these stabbings and incidents are very depressing, it's

the same old story."

Police believe they know the identity of the victim, but no

formal identification has yet been made.

Anyone with information should contact the incident room at

Sutton on 020 8721 4066 or anonymously call Crimestoppers on

0800 555 111.