Residents and the community in Great Lever have reacted with shock to a stabbing that has left a 15-year-old boy dead.

Police were called to Walker Avenue in Great Lever around 4:43 this morning to reports of a stabbing.

Reece Tansey, 15, was quickly taken to hospital but died from his injuries, with friends paying tribute to him on social media.

A large police cordon was set up around Walker Avenue and surrounding roads, with residents left in shock when they awoke in the morning.

Arshad Mahmood, 48, who lives on Royland Avenue just metres away from the incident, said: "I feel so sad for his parents, he was so young.

"There were so many police cars just outside my house when I left for work at 5am, it's the last thing you expect to see.

"The boy knocked on my friend's car as he came back from mosque asking him for help I can't imagine what that must of been like for him.

"He said he told him 'I don't think I'm going to live I'm losing too much blood'.

"He straight away rang for the police and ambulance. I'm just in such shock this has happened here.

"This is a really nice area I just can't belive it."

Cllr Hamid Khurram said: "It is so tragic what has happened, the community is in shock and our thoughts are with the boy's family.

"There are no words to describe what has happened.

"I have had phone calls from parents who are so worried and I am trying to reassure them by telling them the police are investigating.

"It is just so tragic."

Another resident on Walker Avenue, on the edge of the police cordon, said: "It's just so sad and not what you expect on your street at all. It's so sad.

"This is a nice street it's just a shock.

"The police told me at first that it was a car crash but to hear it's a young lad that's been stabbed is so sad.

"It's such a shame for his family."