The mother of a teenager murdered in an unprovoked attack in a London bakery this weekend said she is relieved that he died in the arms of his brother.

Jimmy Mizen’s mother said today that she wished she had been able to cradle her 16-year-old son in his dying moments but was pleased that his brother was there with him.

Margaret Mizen, 55, said: “There was another son there as well, he wasn’t there at the time it happened but he managed to get there in time to hold Jimmy in his arms while he was dying. It’s a comfort to know my son was there with him.

“I got there as quick as I could run. I suppose I would have liked to have had him in my arms but I’m comforted by the fact he was in my son’s arms.

“My son wouldn’t let me go near him, he just said ‘Mum, it’s ok just wait’. Of course I wanted to be there – he’s my baby – but his brother loves him just as much as I do.”

Mrs Mizen, the mother of a further eight children, said that she refused to be bitter or filled with hate despite her son’s murder.

“People keep asking me ‘why are you not angry’, but there’s so much anger in this world. It’s anger that killed my son,” she said.

Jimmy suffered fatal cuts to his neck with glass following a row as he went to buy a lottery ticket in Lee, south east London, on Saturday morning.

When Jimmy, a devout Catholic, declined a challenge to fight, his attacker smashed down the door of the Three Cooks Bakery and picked up an advertising board which he wielded inside.

Jimmy, a pupil at St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive in Eltham, died at the scene in front of his brother, becoming the 13th teenager to be murdered in London so far this year.

Detectives are believed to have spent several hours last night interviewing a “significant witness” – a white, middle-aged man who was inside the bakery at the time – after he came forward to help.

Today Markus Ryan, his head teacher, said: “Jimmy was a very well-liked, gentle student who always tried his best. Jimmy came from a loving, large Catholic family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jimmy and his family at this very sad time.”

Mr Ryan said Jimmy’s father, Barry, played an active role supporting staff and students as deputy chairman of governors at the school.

The popular teenager, who lived with his family in Lee, was killed the day after his 16th birthday. He had been due to finish school today to embark on an apprenticeship in the housing and maintenance department at Southwark Council.

Mr Ryan said: “The school community is extremely shocked and saddened by the weekend’s event. We are holding a leavers’ Mass later today as this will be the last time we have our Year 11 students together in the school.

“St Thomas More is a very caring, compassionate school and this Mass will be dedicated to Jimmy and his family.”

He added: “This week would have been the start of the GCSE examination period for Jimmy and his year group. We will be considering very carefully any additional support we may need to offer to Jimmy’s classmates during this already stressful time.”

Outside the school gates this morning, parents and pupils were struggling to come to terms with the killing of one of its students.

Parent Eva Davies, whose son attends the school, said the reaction had been one of disbelief.

She said: “I feel very angry this can happen to a young boy. He just went into a bakery. I just can’t believe it.”

Julie Smith, who has two daughters at the school, added: “It’s just so sad and so tragic. Something has got to be done about youth violence.”

Another parent, Anne-Marie Lancashire, said: “We are just really shocked. I’d just like to offer my condolences to the family and say they are in our prayers. It’s just an awful thing for the pupils to go through.”

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