Teenager stabbed to death day before his GCSEs

Sam Brown died outside his family home after being stabbed in the chest.

Desperate neighbours battled to save the teenager seconds after the attack in the early hours of the morning in Blackpool, Lancashire, but he was dead by the time paramedics arrived.

Sam finished school last week and had taken up a part-time job in a supermarket, before starting his exams and hoping to go to college to train as a plumber.

A 28-year-old man was also knifed in the incident, Lancashire Constabulary said.

He is in a stable condition at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and his injuries are not described as serious.

Murder squad detectives are also looking for a third person in relation to the attack, but gave no further details.

Today neighbours described Sam as a "decent young lad" who would run errands to the local shops for them.

The Liverpool-mad youngster would play football on the green outside his home where he was fatally stabbed to death.

He lived with his mother, Pat, in her 40s, and two brothers, Joe, in his 20s and Harry, 13.

Paul Tampin, who lives two doors away from Sam's house, said: "He was a very pleasant boy, he would do anything for anybody and was always polite.

"I've never seen him get into trouble, if anything he was a peacemaker.

"He had not long left school and had got himself a part-time job in a supermarket.

"He loved motorbikes and loved his football and used to play with his niece on the green out front."

A second neighbour, Maria Hall, said: "One of the neighbours Kay was trying to revive him.

"She thought he was drunk or something and had fallen. He was going to start his GCSEs tomorrow and had got a job.

"I've known him since he was little. A nicer lad you could not wish to meet. I used to chat with him. It's mind-boggling, we were chatting just last night.

"If you wanted anything he would run to the shops for you. It has happened to the wrong one. I can't believe it.

"He was not your typical lippy 16-year-old, I know it sounds daft but he was a sensible one, a nice kid.

"He only had his 16th birthday a few weeks ago. He was just starting out in life and now he is dead."

Sam was a pupil at St Mary's RC High School, half a mile from his home, where pupils were due to start their English exams.

Another neighbour claimed Sam was protecting his family from men who came calling at the house in the early hours of the morning - though Sam was not the initial target of the attack.

He added: "Sam was trying to protect his family. If anything he would look after his family, despite his age. I hate to see a nice lad like that wasted."

The family home was cordoned off with police standing guard outside as scenes-of-crime officers in white boiler suits carried out a thorough investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Esseen, leading the investigation, said: "We've launched a murder investigation and are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen anything to come forward.

"We realise an incident took place in the early hours of this morning, but we believe someone may have seen something."

His death is the latest in a string of stabbings across Britain that have claimed the lives of teenagers over recent months.