Teenager arrested after London 19-year-old is killed in Crete brawl

 
British tourists are taken into custody after a 19-year-old was stabbed in Malia
AFP/Getty

Friends of a London teenager stabbed to death in Crete spoke of their shock today and said: “You could not get a more popular boy.”

Tyrell Matthews-Burton, from Leyton, east London, was killed on his 19th birthday during a scuffle between nearly 30 people who police on the Greek island said were also British.

A British man, also 19, has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing Mr Matthews-Burton, who was known as Sterling, while 17 other people have also been detained in connection with the incident, which took place in the resort of Malia at dawn yesterday.

The site of a stabbing in the tourist resort of Malia on Crete
Reuters

The remainder of those involved are being sought by officers from Hersonissos Police Department.

Flowers were left on the doorstep at the Leytonstone home of Mr Matthews-Burton and his mother, Sharon, where a friend delivering a sympathy card today said: “Tyrell was a great guy and everyone liked him.

"He was good at sport, especially football, and was always joking around. We can’t believe he has gone.”

Harry Nye, 18, from Kent, said he witnessed the fight, which is understood to have taken place outside the Safari Club.

He told the Daily Mirror: "We saw one guy having his head stamped on and this other lad just fell straight. I've never seen that much blood."

Local coroner Manolis Michalodimitrakis told The Sun the former Leytonstone School pupil was stabbed twice. “The knife punctured his lung and heart. He lost almost half his blood.”

In Leytonstone, neighbour Satpal Singh, 47, said of Mr Matthews-Burton, who it is thought worked in a fashion store: “He was a lovely boy and everyone around here liked him. He was very much a family person. He liked sport and was very fit. We are all shocked.”

Neighbour Mavis Hart, 78, said: “He grew up to be a gentleman, a real credit to his mum.”

BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood, who was playing at the club in the early hours of yesterday morning wrote about the incident on Twitter.

"Saddest nite in Malia," he wrote, later adding: "Sterling - deepest sympathies to the family and friends".

Mr Matthews-Burton's friends and loved ones have also been paying tribute on the social networking site.

@camaraofficial wrote: "Tyrell, one of the sweetest people I've met... Hard-working & warm, may you rest in Peace... My heart goes out to your Family and Friends b $X".

@WalcottLue tweeted: "Tyrell my brother, God is with you now. May peace be brought to his family & loved ones. RIP b $ we won't forget you xx."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Malia, Crete, on the 23rd July. We are providing consular assistance to the family."

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