A CCTV image has been released of a man police want to speak to about an incident in which robbers punched and kicked two men who attempted to get their friend’s phone back after it had been stolen.

The three friends had been to Kitchen’s Garage in Trafalgar Street, Burnley, to buy alcohol, when the two offenders began to follow them. As they reached Manchester Road, one of the two men produced a knife and demanded a phone.

The phone was handed over but then the victim’s two friends tried to get it back and were attacked.

The two offenders are described as white and in their early 20s. The first man was described as being of athletic build, around six feet tall and wearing black clothes. The second man was described as being of stocky build, with short, almost shaved hair, and wearing a grey and cream fleece top, black pants and black shoes. He had a tattoo on the right side of his neck.

The incident happened at 3am on December 31. Call 101.