FRIENDS and family of a murdered teenager paid tribute to  his memory after a new community centre was named in  his honour.

The new centre, in Mill  Lane, Old Swan, will take the  name of Joseph Lappin, a  16-year-old Army cadet from  Old Swan, who was fatally  stabbed outside an Everton   youth club.

The Joseph Lappin Centre  was opened on Saturday by his  mum and dad, Toni and John  Lappin,  with Liverpool Lord  Mayor Cllr Sharon Sullivan  and Mayor of Liverpool Joe  Anderson.

It will include junior and  senior youth clubs from Monday  to Friday,  an outdoor multi-  use games area for football and  basketball as well as providing  a meeting place for mums and  tots and a community-led café  offering low-cost healthy  meals.

Toni said: "I'm made up that  on the sign outside it says ‘Do  Something with your life’.

“Joseph knew exactly what  he wanted to do, he had it all  planned out but sadly never got  the chance to do it. They have  picked up on that and hopefully  other young people in  the area will get a  chance."

Joseph was a member of the Liverpool  Scottish Regiment  and had never visited  the Shrewsbury House  community centre, in  Langrove Street, Everton, before the attack in October, 2008.

Toni said: “It is so  sad and of course we  would much rather  he was still here, but  this is turning a negative into a positive."