A GROUP of young thugs beat up a schoolboy to steal his fishing equipment in a brutal daylight attack in central Lancaster.

The 12-year-old boy was fishing off the Millennium Bridge between 2pm and 2.30pm on Tuesday.

A group of five youngsters, three boys and two girls, walked up to the boy and a friend.

One of the youngsters aggravated the boy and dragged him into a fight by tampering with his fishing equipment.

Another attacker then grabbed a knife from the boy's fishing kit and threatened to use it unless the tackle was handed over.

The first youth then punched the victim three times in the face, causing a suspected broken nose and serious bruising.

The other members of the group then began punching and kicking the boy on the ground.

They were eventually scared off by a man who walked past and the ran off, with £40 worth of fishing equipment, in the direction of the Ryelands estate.

Police are keen to talk to the man, who the boy had also seen in the same area at the same time the previous day.

Descriptions have been issued of the attackers. The boy who grabbed the knife is described as having brown, short, straight hair, around 5ft tall, 13 years old with freckles. He wore black trainers, brown tracksuit bottoms and a dark sweatshirt.

The second is male, white, 5ft 2in tall, with very short black hair, around 15 years old, with ginger hair visible under a baseball cap. He wore a red sweatshirt, Adidas tracksuit bottoms and a black baseball cap.

The third boy also had ginger hair and is 5ft tall and around 13 years old. He wore grey tracksuit bottoms and a blue sweatshirt.

The fourth is described as white, female, aged about 13, with brown, long, straight hair, wearing a black top and trousers. The fifth is white, female, aged 12 to 13 years, with blonde hair.

Det Sgt Mark Salisbury of Lancaster police said: "This is totally unacceptable behaviour.

"It is bad enough having your fishing tackle stolen, but to get beaten up as well to this extent is just thuggery.

"I would appeal for people who may be able to assist with identifying these offenders to contact us. We would, in particular, like to speak to the man who scared the offenders off."

Anybody with information is asked to contact Lancaster police on 63333.