Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a 14-year-old boy was robbed in a city street.

The mugging happened in Silver Street, to the north of the city, at about 8.25pm on Friday, July 5, but police have only just made the details public.

The boy was walking along Silver Street away from the convenience store when he was approached from behind by a man who asked for a lighter. The man then asked the boy for the time and as the victim took out his mobile phone to tell him, the offender attempted to grab it.

The boy fell to the floor and the mugger searched his pockets for money, before running off towards Bull Close Road.

A short time later the victim and his father saw the offender again near Magpie Road and chased him along Marlborough Road.

The mugger was white, slim build with light coloured hair. He was wearing a light blue T-shirt with white writing on it and shorts.

Anyone with information should call DC Damian Shailer on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.