A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has died in hospital after being stabbed in a disturbance following a private party.

Police were called to Ilford High Road at around 4am this morning (August 15).

They arrived to find a teenager, who has been named as Kevin Chibueze, from Croydon, suffering from stab wounds.

He was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, for surgery, but died at 1pm this afternoon.

A murder investigation has been launched into the incident, which it is believed occurred after two groups, numbering between 15 and 20 in total, became involved in a disturbance after a party off the High Road.

The argument spilled out onto High Road and then into the car park next to Lidl and Fitness First, where it is believed the victim was stabbed.

An incident room has opened at the Homicide and Serious Crime Command under Detective Chief Inspector John Macdonald.

DCI Macdonald said: "There were people shouting and bottles thrown in what is a busy area even at that time of night.

"My appeal is to members of the public who may have seen what was going on to contact us and also anyone involved in these two groups to come forward and tell us what happened."

Cordons were placed around the area for most of the day, restricting access between the High Road and Ilford town centre while forensic teams examined the scene.

A post-mortem examination will take place on Wednesday (August 17) at East Ham.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 0208 345 3985 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.