DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses to a robbery in which a teenage boy was threatened with a Stanley knife.

The 16-year-old was targeted by the thief who got off a bus at the same stop as him in Civic Square, Tilbury at 11.30pm on Friday.

The youngster was followed by the crook into Calcutta Road where he was ordered to hand over his possessions by the thief, who wielded the blade.

The culprit, said to be aged 17-18 and of mixed heritage, escaped with the boy's Nokia mobile phone. He was 6ft tall, wore a beige hoodie and had a five inch scar on his right temple.

Both the victim and the offender had been travelling on a number 73 bus coming from Lakeside Shopping Centre.

Anyone with information should contact Tilbury CID on 0300 333 4444.