Parents distraught after 16-year-old son stabbed to death

The father of a 16-year-old boy murdered by a gang of teenagers said today his family were in shock over his death. Nick Pearton was stabbed and beaten as he tried to escape from up to 10 youths armed with knives, baseball bats and sticks close to his home in Sydenham, south-east London. His mother, Kim, found him lying bleeding heavily on the floor of a fast food shop after he had staggered across a busy road to call for help. An ambulance was called but he died shortly after he arrived in hospital early last night. Speaking at the family home today, the boy's father, Vince, said: "There's nothing I can say, we can't take it in." Police, who have launched a murder inquiry, said the attack happened at about 6.15pm yesterday in Home Park recreation ground. Nick, a former pupil at the local Sedgehill school who was studying maintenance at college, was one of the youngest in a family of several children. One family friend, Lynn Brackley, 47, said today: "I live just around the corner from where it happened and I came outside when I heard screaming. The woman screaming was actually my friend Kim, who is Nick's mother. "She was so unbelievably distraught at that point I can't even imagine the state she would have been in when she went to the hospital and she was told her son was dead. He had around six brothers and sisters and he was a very hardworking boy. It was a really big family and very close-knit. He was very close to all his family and friends." Family friends described Nick as a "really nice lad" who had been caught up in a local disagreement. One said: "He was a really nice lad, who would always stick up for his friends, and I think that's what led to this happening. "There was an argument between some kids a couple of days ago and sadly Nick got involved in that. He was not a wrong 'un at all. He was a really good boy, a nice boy and he didn't deserve this. His mum is going to be absolutely gutted, she's a lovely lady. The family are very tight, very strongly held together, they are going to be distraught." Today, his friends and family began leaving flowers and cards at the scene in tribute to the teenager. One note said: "To my little cuz Nick, rest in peace Cuz, I will help look after your mum. Love you lots boy XXXX, from Dionne and family." One witness said Nick cycled to the park to face members of a gang after another confrontation earlier in the week. The 16-year-old boy said: "There was a fight over something silly. Nick was lying on the floor of the chicken shop bleeding. "His mum came out screaming 'my baby boy, my son'. I didn't see him get stabbed, just on the floor. I don't really mix with all them lot around here because they are trouble, but I still talk to them now and then." Police have arrested several youths in connection with the attack. The death of the teenager brings the toll of murders in the capital this year to 10. Two years ago, police took action to stop a rise in teenager killings. After measures including an increase in stop and searches and the use of metal detectors at stations, the numbers of attacks and murders have fallen significantly.