The parents of a 16-year-old boy stabbed to death after a gang attack spoke of their devastation as they appealed to mothers of the culprits to come forward.
Joseph Lappin died after he and two friends were attacked by up to 15 youths outside the Shrewsbury House Youth Club in Everton, Liverpool, on Monday night.
His mother Toni Lappin, speaking at a press conference with her husband John by her side, said: "The events of the last 24 hours have left us devastated. We have lost our son and his younger brother and sister have lost the person they looked up to."
She added: "As a mother I would appeal to all the mothers of those involved - understand our grief, come forward."
An emotional Mrs Lappin said: "Joseph was a lovely lad, our son and the centre of our family.
"He went out last night with friends like teenagers across the country and because of the events of last night he won't be coming back to us."
She added that Joseph, an army cadet for three years, had never been in any trouble and after leaving school in the summer had been planning to join the Army.
Mrs Lappin went on: "We believe that there was a large group involved in what happened last night."
She told the families of those involved in the attack that they had the "power to do the right thing" and "to make sure another family doesn't have to go through what we are going through now".
