Jodie Chesney and Yousef Makki: Two bright lights stabbed to death in 24 hours
Jodie Chesney and Yousef Ghaleb Makki, both 17, died at opposite ends of the country in Manchester and east London, becoming the latest young victims of Britain's knife crime epidemic
Jan Disley
Tom ParrySpecial correspondent
Lucy Thornton
Amy Coles
Yousef Ghaleb Makki died in hospital after being stabbed in Hale Barns near Manchester (Image: PA)
Two 17-year-olds at different ends of the country tragically became the latest young lives to be lost to knife crime in just 24 hours.
In London, distraught mum Claire Gillham is grieving after A-Level student Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death on Friday night.
And in Manchester "lovely" schoolboy Yousef Ghaleb Makki - who dreamed of becoming a heart surgeon - was stabbed to death while visiting friends.
As she left flowers and a small lamp at the scene where Jodie died, Mrs Gillham, who is separated from the teenager's father Pete Chesney, was clearly too upset to talk.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Jodie's uncle Dave Chesney said: "This was a totally random and unprovoked attack on a beautiful, lovely and quirky young girl with her whole life in front of her. We are all devastated".
Jodie Chesney pictured on Downing Street in her Girl Scout uniform
Claire Gillham, mother of Jodie Chesney (far right) pays her respects at the scene of the stabbing (Image: Tony Kershaw / SWNS)
Jodie had been celebrating her father's birthday on Friday hours before she went to the park with her boyfriend, Eddie Coyle, 18, and four friends. They saw two men lingering nearby at 9pm.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said the black men in their teens returned 30 minutes later, walked straight towards the group, and one of them stabbed Jodie twice in the back.
He added: "Nothing was said by the two suspects."
Witnesses said Jodie was randomly selected by the men - who were dressed in black and wore bandanas or masks.
In a Facebook post, Jodie's gran Debbie Chesney said: "How have we come to this point where kids can't have a walk in a park without an unprovoked attack?"
Two boys who were arrested on suspicion of murder remain in police custody over Yousef's death, Greater Manchester Police said (Image: MEN MEDIA)
Sixth-form student, Jodie, was a keen Explorer Scout. Her leader Anna Skipworth said: "She was funny, intelligent and a joy to work with.
Teresa Farenden, 49, who tried to save her, said: "The knife blade was still in her, but I didn't see it because it was dark."
"Just as the ambulance crew turned up, she had gone. It was devastating, so traumatic."
Just hours later, Yousef - who attended the UK's largest independent day school for boys on a scholarship - lost his life in affluent Hale Barns.
He was visiting a school pal.
Police officers at the scene in Hale Barns where Yousef, 17, was stabbed to death (Image: MEN MEDIA)
Yousef, who lived eight miles away from the crime scene, attended the city's exclusive Manchester Grammar School.
It is believed Yousef - who lived in a modest terraced home on an estate with his "beautiful family"- he had travelled to the wealthy area to visit school pals.
Officers and paramedics found the teen slumped against a tree after being attacked on a street in affluent Hale Barns, where many properties cost more than £1 million and have electric gates.
The teen, from Burnage in Greater Manchester, was rushed to hospital but died later.
Police scour the scene of the knife attack on 17-year-old Jodie (Image: SWNS)
Two 17 -year-old boys -were arrested on suspicion of murder and were last night still being questioned by police.
They are understood to be the sons of wealthy families, who both run businesses and live locally.
It is believed some Coronation Street actors stars and Manchester United footballers Paul Pogba and Victor Lindeloff live nearby.
Yousef, whose family are originally believed to be from Beirut in Lebanon, lived with his parents and siblings.
But he made his family proud after getting a place at MSG - where fees can be more than £12,000 a year.
Jodie Chesney was stabbed to death on Friday night (Image: Copyright unknown)
One of his neighbours, who asked not to be named, said she believed he was visiting school friends when the tragedy unfolded.
She said: "Yousef was a lovely lad, a dedicated, double A-star student who wanted to be a heart surgeon.
"He didn't have a bad bone in his body. I think he was in Hale Barns because he has friends there.
"They are a beautiful family who keep themselves to themselves and it's very sad. Everyone here is devastated.
"I used to see him every morning checking his hair before he went to the Grammar. He could have been someone.
"It's just a shame for a young lad with so much potential to have his life taken so young."
She died in her boyfriend's arms after being stabbed (Image: Facebook)
At the scene forensic tents were erected on the grass verge and the area was cordoned off by police tape as forensic officers began work.
Two mountain bikes were seized by police nearby for forensic examination.
A man living at the bungalow outside which it happened said he and his wife and son knew nothing of the tragedy until they stepped out to go for dinner.
The man, who refused to be named, said: "It was like Blackpool illuminations with all the lights.
"The boy was leaning against a tree outside. I didn't know him.
"By the time we came out to the drive the police were there – we hadn't heard anything.
Tributes have been paid to Jodie, who was stabbed in Harold Hill, east London (Image: Facebook)
"They told us to get back inside and in the end we weren't allowed to leave until about 9pm.The police response was excellent – I can't fault that."
He said staff from two private security firms also arrived.
"I presume they had been alerted to something going on," he said.
"Lots of the houses here have cctv – and it's a neighbourhood where people keep themselves to themselves.
"There have been a couple of bad break ins round here so people will have been on the lookout but this is not what you expect.
"How many lives has it ruined …just one moment of madness."
Local people reacted with shock at the fatal stabbing, bombarding social media sites.
Karl Morris posted: "... knives are a deadly illegal weapon that will always bring a bad outcome.
Two mountain bikes near Hale Barns have been seized as evidence (Image: MEN MEDIA)
"Grew up where the girl got stabbed yesterday and now live where the lad got stabbed last night!!! Sad Ayla Oglu, "RIP .He was such a good lad, very clever and caring. He could have gone to the best universities, why did it have to end like that.
Absolutely gutted."
Tanya Daly wrote: "R.I.P Youseff Makki what a lovely young man from a loving family my love and thoughts go out to them today."
Alisia Wilson wrote: "Just goes to show knife crime can happen anywhere!"
Farzaneh Yari said: "I am really shocked. We live in Hale Barns and in this area this is rare."
While Jay Ellis wrote : Proof that your not safe anywhere now, if a young man has lost his life in one of Manchester's most up market and quietest areas. Feel for his parents."
Greater Manchester Police said officers were called to reports a boy had been stabbed in Gorse Bank Road in the village of Hale Barns, near Altrincham, at about 6.40pm on Saturday.
His family have been informed and officers are currently with them offering support, GMP said.
The scene of the fatal knifing in the leafy village of Hale Barns (Image: REUTERS)
Detective Superintendent Phil Reade, Head of GMP's Major Incident Team,
said: "This is an incredibly tragic case which has seen a teenage boy sadly lose his life.
"Yousef's family has understandably been left devastated by his death and the thoughts of the entire investigation team remain with them at this difficult time.
"A team of dedicated detectives have been working throughout the night and into today trying to establish exactly what happened.
"The investigation is in its very early stages and we continue to remain open minded about why Yousef was attacked, and we would like to speak to anyone who may have information that can assist.
"We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was walking or driving in the vicinity of Gorse Bank Road or Sunbank Lane at around 6:30pm.
"These people may not realise it but they could hold vital information to assist the investigation and help Yousef's family get the answers they deserve."
Jodie Chesney