A TEENAGE girl was tailed by a knifeman while walking through a park in the afternoon.

The 16-year-old, who was mugged for her £220 mobile phone, was said to have been horrified when she realised a mugger had followed her through Queen’s Park onto Queen’s Road, Blackburn.

Turning around as she was leaving the park, she discovered he was holding a kitchen knife, at 3.50pm on Friday, police said.

The young girl, who had been making her way home when she was stopped, was threatened by the mugger who appeared to be in his late teens. He demanded she hand over her mobile phone, and keeping her distance, she threw it to him.

Police are now appealing for any witnesses who were in the area to come forward with any information they may have.

DS Mark Winstanley at Blackburn CID said: “She became aware of somebody behind her on leaving the park and they shouted to her. She was very, very frightened and complied by throwing her mobile phone when the youth demanded it. He then told her to walk away, which she did.

“This was a very frightening incident for the victim, which took place in the hours of daylight in a residential area. We are very keen to find the person responsible as soon as possible.”

The mugger, who spoke with a local accent, is described as a white male who is around 17-years-old with a slim build and is 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in in height. He was wearing a black hooded quilted jacket, black track suit bottoms, a blue and white striped scarf which covered part of his face and a black woollen hat, which appeared to be covering blond hair. He is thought to have fled in the direction of Audley Range.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blackburn CID on 353561 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.