Tributes to boy stAbbed in street

TOUCHING TRIBUTES have been paid to a 16-year-old boy who died after a street stabbing.

Dozens of bunches of flowers had yesterday been laid near the scene of the attack in Leeds that claimed the life of the teenager, named locally as Irfan Wahied.

A note left on one bunch of flowers outside Yorkshire Bank at the junction of Harehills Lane and Strathmore View in Harehills said: “Even though you are gone you will never be forgotten.” Another said: “I can’t believe this has happened. I’m gonna miss you so much.”

There were also moving words from Michael Shackleton, said to be one of Irfan’s former primary school teachers.

Writing on Facebook, Mr Shackleton said: “He had so much potential and he was one of those kids who you get in every class who you were willing to succeed, a child who you knew that, if things fell into place, would become an awesome young adult.”

Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves tweeted: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy stabbed in Leeds. We must do more to tackle knife crime.”

One local shopkeeper yesterday described the aftermath of the attack, which happened at about 3.45pm on Friday.

He said: “I was in the shop and heard a scream so I looked out and saw a boy who seemed to be bleeding from the abdomen.

“Some of his friends were trying to carry him down the street [towards Harehills Lane’s junction with Foundry Approach and Compton Road] but when they got to the bank he collapsed.”

A 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murder has been released without charge. A police cordon at the scene was lifted on Saturday. Police have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Detectives believe some people may have filmed footage of Friday afternoon’s events on mobile phones.