Boy, 17, appears in court accused of murdering school girl Elianne Andam in Croydon

GCSE pupil Elianne Andam was attacked with a knife after she got off a bus on her way to school in Croydon, south London

Elianne Andam, 15, died after a knife attack on her way to school in Croydon (PA)

A teenager has appeared in court charged with murdering 15-year-old Elianne Andam, who was stabbed to death on her way to school in Croydon.

Elianne died after being knifed in the neck in front of horrified school friends at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

A boy was arrested in New Addington just over an hour after the attack outside of a shopping centre in busy Wellesley Road, Croydon, south London.

Elianne Andam, 15, was stabbed to death on Wednesday morning (Family handout/Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Wire)

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at a youth court hearing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court wearing a grey tracksuit on Friday.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on October 3.

Nicola Grindey, prosecuting, told the court Elianne was hanging out with two friends before school when the attack happened.

People laid flowers at the scene in Croydon, south London, where 15-year-old Elianne Andam was stabbed to death on Wednesday morning (James Manning/PA Wire)

Old Palace of John Whitgift School pupil Elianne has been described by her family as the “light of our lives”. They said she was “bright and funny” and “had her whole life ahead of her”.

On Thursday, loved ones held a vigil at the scene of her death, where a large group of relatives put their arms around each other as flowers were put on the ground.

A statement read out by a church leader on behalf of the family said: “We as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne. Our hearts are broken.

“Elianne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, kind and had a bright future ahead. It is our request that you keep our cherished daughter Elianne and our family in your thoughts and prayers.”