Shocked neighbours have described how a teenager let out a “blood-curdling scream” as he was stabbed to death in a targeted attack.

Mohammed Rayaib, 19, collapsed in the street near his home in Bradford Moor after being “butchered” by a group of males who had arrived in a vehicle.

One near-neighbour told how he saw the teenager die in his mother’s arms as pandemonium broke out in the street late at night.

Residents of Gladstone Street told of a dramatic scene unfolding, with men shouting, people running around frantically and car tyres screeching.

Police were called at 12.39am yesterday and arrived to find the victim had suffered a number of stab wounds.

Mr Rayaib, who lived with his parents in Gladstone Street, was taken by ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary where he died.

His distraught family said they were unable to come to terms with what had happened.

Family spokesman, Kabir Hussain, a cousin of Mr Rayaib, said: “We will never recover from losing him in such a tragic way.

“If anyone has seen anything that can help the police catch the people who have done this, please come forward with that information.”

Police have started a murder investigation and spent yesterday at the scene carrying out forensic investigations. They also cordoned off Peel Park as part of the investigation to allow officers to conduct a search of the area.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This was a targeted attack on the 19-year-old man.

“At this stage of the investigation we believe he was attacked by a group of males who arrived at the scene in a vehicle. Forensic work is ongoing at the scene.

“I am appealing to any witnesses who saw the incident to come forward. It is clear that this was not a random attack and we are now trying to establish the full circumstances that led to the death of this man.”

Detectives are continuing to carry out house-to-house inquiries and Neighbourhood Policing Officers are speaking to local people to offer reassurance.

Mohammed Imran Khan, 23, is the next door neighbour of Mr Rayaib and has known him well since they were children.

He said: “I was just getting ready for bed and heard a loud scream. It was not an ordinary scream – it was a painful scream, a blood-curdling scream.

“I opened my door and walked up the street and two or three neighbours were already there. At first, I thought he had just been pushed and kicked about, but as he wobbled about on his feet and then collapsed, I knew it didn’t look good. I didn’t know at that point that he had been stabbed.

“He started coughing, like he was choking on his tongue. I saw what were probably his last few breaths. His family came out and it was a real shock for them.

“Then a friend of mine came and put him in the recovery position.

“We were waiting for the ambulance. It seemed to take a long time because it was such a shocking moment. It was very emotional.”

Mr Khan described his dead friend as a pleasant, but impressionable character.

He said: “He was a great lad but he used to get influenced too quickly. He would have had a bright future. I’m speechless.

“I still can’t believe he has gone. May God bless his soul. He was a great guy and he just didn’t deserve this at all.

“I had known him all my life. He used to respect his elders in the street. I would never have imagined someone like him could have got killed.

“He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Destiny or fate was against him.”

Mr Rayaib, who was educated at Carlton Bolling School, worked for the family take-away business.

A resident who knew Mr Rayaib, but did not want to be named, said: “He was a good kid. He lived all his life here. He was into football, cricket, everything.

“He worked at a take-away and was hard working. I’ve grown up with him – we went to Carlton Bolling together.”

Sajid Hussain, of the Bilal Food Store in Gladstone Street, said: “It’s a young lad who has been killed. This is a big shock. We are so sad.”

Mohammed Siddique, who has run the United foodstore for 40 years, said: “He came to my shop each day. He was a nice guy. He was a handsome and impressive person – 6ft tall and always very smart.

“I think he was married with a wife who was due to come over from Pakistan this week.

“I’m very sad about the circumstances of what’s happened. We used to talk, he was a Punjabi speaker and would talk about anything, sometimes cricket. He was a very nice young lad. He lived with his mother and father.

“He was always polite and respectable. He passed away in his mother’s lap.”

Mr Siddique said there had been a disturbance on the street, with people running and shouting and the sound of car tyres screeching.

He said he believed a damaged car parked half way down the street must be something to do with the incident.

He said: “I would ask the community to please co-operate with the police. He has come to the shop every day two or three times to buy cigarettes, food and sweets.”

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s just really bad. The main problem round here is the drug dealing and I think money needs spending on sorting that out.

“You see a lot of people driving down the street in big posh cars and you have a good idea where the money is coming from. It’s a shame for the area.

“I can’t believe this sort of thing is happening here. This is a human life, but they have butchered someone like an animal.”

More than 200 people attended a special prayer service at the Madni Jamia Mosque, in nearby Thornbury Road, yesterday morning. Anyone who witnessed the attack or has any information about those responsible should call HMET on 0845 6060606 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.