A Worcester teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 17 year-old died after being rescued from a canal in the city.

Police have confirmed the 17 year-old died at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, around 11.15pm last night.

He has been officially named as Sean Stevens, of Worcester.
His next of kin have been informed.

A 17 year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Superintendent Kevin Purcell said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are with Sean's family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

"A full and thorough investigation is being conducted into this incident and we are working to establish how Sean came to be in the canal.

"I would like to appeal to anyone who has any information about this incident to contact police. We are particularly interested in talking to anyone who saw a group of teenagers, or young adults, in and around the canal path from Worcester city centre up to Perdiswell last night, from 7pm onwards."

Police were called at around 8.50pm to the Worcester to Birmingham Canal at the Bilford Road bridge, in the Perdiswell area. 

A teenager jumped in after Sean, but both had to be pulled from the water by the fire service.

A spokesman for the force said: "A thorough investigation is being conducted into the circumstances of the incident.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased."

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed both were pulled out of the water alive.

The spokesman said: "A teenage boy was rescued from the water by the fire service and was in cardiac arrest.

"Ambulance staff commenced advanced life support at the scene and en route to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

"A second patient, who reportedly jumped in the water to rescue the teen was also rescued from the canal.

"Ambulance staff assessed the patient before they conveyed them to the same hospital as a precaution."

Two ambulances, two responder paramedics and the Trust's Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) attended the scene.

Two water rescue teams, from Malvern and Worcester fire crews, also attended the scene and a swimming team were deployed to dive and pull the teenage to safety.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident number 660s of 31 March.