Kayleigh Bennett still remembers the first time she met Tyler Roye.

It was her first day at Royston Primary School. She started a week later than the other kids and sat down on the carpet next to Tyler and a few of his friends.

She still remembers her teacher telling Tyler and the others to look after her.

"From there our friendship blossomed throughout school," Kayleigh told the Croydon Guardian.

"I always got on so well with Tyler.

"We were always together, being normal kids and getting into all kinds of mischief."

That's why she was so sad to hear that on Wednesday, Tyler, 24, was stabbed to death in Stroud Green Way, Croydon.

Your Local Guardian:

Tyler in the front row, second to the right of his school picture

"There is so much I would like to say I could go on for hours about how much of an amazing person Tyler was," she added.

"I remember Tyler being a bubbly character who was always making the class laugh and he was a joy to be around.

"He had a smile that would light up the whole room, grinning from cheek to cheek, it was so infectious.

"We were friends from reception to year six and although I lost contact with Tyler when we went onto separate secondary schools I will never forget the wonderful amazing memories we shared as we grew up together.

"Being friends with Tyler made my primary school experience so much more memorable."

The day after Tyler's death, a GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for the costs of his funeral.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GOFUNDME PAGE

Less than a day later and it has already received more than £2,700 in donations.

This didn't surprise Kayleigh one bit, who said Tyler was a "loved member of the community."

"I don't have one bad word or bad memory about him," she finished.

"He was funny, caring and extremely well mannered.

"Every time he would come round to my house after school or for a party he was so well behaved just a delight to be around.

"And that is a reflection on how amazing his mum is.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, no one deserves to be taken from the world in such a cruel way, I know he will be deeply missed."

No arrests have yet been made. Anyone with information or footage of the area before, during or after the incident, is asked to call the Incident Room on 020 8721 4868 or via 101 quoting Cad 71/26Feb. You can also tweet @MetCC or call the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.