A GROUP of schoolboys were threatened by a hooded robber who said he would club them with a hammer unless they handed over their mobile phones.

Police said the incident was linked with a spate of thefts in Burnley in the past month. It happened in Thompson Park at about 1.30pm on Tuesday, when the group of 15-year-olds were approached by two youths.

One of the offenders threatened to hit them with a hammer unless they handed over their phones. Police said no hammer was seen in the robbery.

In the last month a group of youths have approached several teenagers asking if they could look at people's phones because it looked similar to one a relative had stolen, or so they could put a number in which the victims could ring to buy goods.

Incidents have taken place in Ruskin Street, Padiham town centre, Thompson Park and by Burnley College's Ormerod Road campus.

Police have warned people not to hand over their phones or flash them in public.

The robber was Asian, aged 16 to 17, wearing a beige Nike hooded top and trousers tucked in his socks. His accomplice was Asian and aged 16 to 17.