A GANG of youths are being hunted after a series of attacks on teenagers on their way to school.

Pupils at Blessed Trinity RC College's Ormerod Road site in Burnley have been assaulted in a series of unprovoked attacks.

The attacks took place on Wednesday morning in Ormerod Road and Leyland Road at about 9am while pupils were walking to school.

Four boys were punched in the face and a teenage boy was threatened with a weapon, forcing him to hand over his mobile phone.

Police said that the all five victims were approached and threatened separately while walking from the Burnley College area to the school.

The gang is said to be a group of six to seven asian and white males and police are appealing for anyone who may have seen the gang or been a victim of an attack to come forward.

The victims reported the incidents to teachers when they arrived at school, who called police.

None of the boys needed hospital treatment but were left shaken by the attacks.

The school have contacted the parents of the children attacked and have been patrolling the streets near the school with police at the beginning and end of the school day.

Blessed Trinity RC College headteacher Bernadette Bleasdale said: "Five boys from years nine, 10 and 11 were attacked in a series of separate incidents near our Ormerod Road site yesterday morning.

"Fortunately they were not injured but were obviously shaken. As soon as they arrived at the college we contacted the police who arrived very quickly.

"At the moment we know very little about the group which carried out the attacks, but they were not pupils from this college.

"The police have been very supportive and have patrolled near the college since the attacks.

"We take this kind of incident very seriously and will be co-operating fully with the police in their investigations. We held an assembly at the end of the day yesterday and have urged all our pupils to remain calm and behave as normal."

DC Neil Marr said:"We are currently investigating the incident and interviewing the witnesses to get a full description of the attackers.

"The school have been working closely with us. Teachers have been patrolling outside the school in Ormerod Road, and we will be having a police presence around Leyland Road and Ormerod Road where the attacks happened until the attackers are found.

"We want to reassure pupils and parents that we are hoping for a quick resolution."

Anyone with information should contact Burnley CID on 01282 472144.