YOUNGSTERS were urged not to pick up knives at the funeral of "kind and loving" footballer Godwin Lawson this morning.

About 500 people packed into St Ignatius Catholic Church, in Stamford Hill, spilling out of the rear doors and even packing out the balcony where the organist played.

Members of Mr Lawson’s family, some of whom had flown over from Ghana and the US, wore traditional dress in black and white, symbolic of the death of a young person in Ghanaian culture.

They were joined by his teammates from the Oxford United Football Academy, which he joined after winning a two-year scholarship last summer.

Carrying candles, 17 schoolfriends from St Ignatius College headed a procession out of the church, to symbolise his 17 years of life.

Mr Lawson, who said he moved to Oxford to escape crime in London, died after being stabbed in the chest in March 27 in a park in Hackney. Tottenham man Moise Avorgah, 19, has been charged with his murder.

Mr Lawson's mother, Yvonne, a teacher, who cried throughout her eulogy and was held up by her husband Calvin, sang a short song called There is no-one like you.

She said: “My full-of-energy boy. Without him the house is so quiet. He was always talking and making noise. We will miss you so much. He was patient, he was kind and loving and life will never be the same without him.”

His "Oxford mum", Monica Lee, who he would stay with when training with the football club, said: "It was a pleasure to know him. He is a true credit to his mum and dad."

Gavin Hinds, of Oxford United Football Club, told Mr Lawson’s family they had “raised a great man who was decent and loving”.

He said: “We’ve been friends for about four or five years now, and over the last year I got to know him as more than a teammate. I called him my Oxford brother. We spent almost every day together, we spoke about everything. He had such a good kind heart and wanted to help others. He wanted to succeed in life and better himself.”

Mr Lawson was praised as “well-liked and popular, with a strong character and personal faith that shaped his being” by his school.

His headteacher John-Paul Morrison said since Mr Lawson's death the school had invited police in to speak about the dangers of carrying knives and prison officers had explained the consequences would be if they went to jail. He said: “The kids are all worried about knife crime, they are all thinking is it going to be them next, is it going to be someone they know?”

The service was led by Father Tim Byron, chaplain of St Ignatius College, while the Ghanaian High Commissioner and MPs Diane Abbott and David Lammy also attended, along with the parents of murdered teenagers Damilola Taylor, Jimmy Mizen and David Idowu.

Mr Lawson was also praised by Father Byron, who said he was prepared to "work hard to make his dream come true".

He said: “This dream was cruelly taken away from him. There will be people here in church who have carried knives and who are thinking of carrying a knife.

"Why do people carry knives? They say it is for protection. But you are more likely to be stabbed if you carry a knife. Many of those who are stabbed are stabbed with their own knives.

“If Godwin Lawson was here now, the one thing he would say to you is stop. This is more important than flowers on pavements and messages on Facebook, it is more important to say no, I am not carrying a knife. That is the greatest tribute you could give Godwin Lawson.”

Speaking after the service, his girlfriend Jennifer Oppong, 16, said: “He was just such a nice person, he was always someone I could rely on, if I ever needed someone to talk to.

"He was the biggest comic in Tottenham, he used to make jokes all the time. He had catchphrases that he was known for.

"He was a good friend to everyone and he is going to be missed so much. It has left a big dent in society in Tottenham.”