TWO TEENAGERS were the victims of an attempted knifepoint robbery in Dorchester town centre.

Police have reported that the two youngsters were in the area of Bowling Alley Walks when a man demanded the mobile phone one of them was holding and threatened them with a knife.

Deputy Inspector Steve Foot, of Dorchester Police, said the two lads were aged around 16 and were walking from the Borough Gardens towards Trinity Street at around 5.30pm on Sunday.

He said one of them was holding a mobile phone in his hand and they saw a male sitting on a bench.

Deputy Inspector Foot said: “When the two young lads got to where he was he stood up and demanded the mobile phone.

“They refused and the offender threatened them with a knife.

“One of the lads ran back towards the Borough Gardens and the second lad remained for a few seconds and said he believed what he saw was a kitchen knife.”

Deputy Inspector Foot said the second teenager then ran off in the direction of Trinity Street, with the offender temporarily giving chase.

He said the male was described as between 6ft and 6ft 2in tall, with brown eyes and tanned skin, possibly of mixed race background and with short black hair.

He was said to be wearing a blue hooded top, possibly with a small green logo on it, blue jeans and white trainers.

Mayor of Dorc-hester Tess James said that the town would be shocked by the nature of the offence and backed the police to catch the culprit.

She said: “We are in shock that his has happened and glad there was no injury and I hope that the two young lads are able to recover from the obviously horrible experience for them. We are not used to these crimes and attacks in Dorchester and have every confidence that the police will find the offender so that he can be brought to justice.

“Thankfully we don’t have to deal with these crimes on a regular basis but it doesn’t detract from the seriousness of it.”

Town councillor David Taylor, who is also a member of Dorchester’s Crime Prevention Panel, said: “It is very unusual for something like this to happen here.

“Dorchester is a safe town and has an excellent rapport with the police and the community and I have no doubt that his perpetrator will be brought to justice.”

He added: “I hope the two boys are OK and that they will not be suffering from the consequences of this incident.

“My thoughts are with them.”

Anyone with information about the incident should call Weymouth CID on 101.