WITNESSES are being sought to an attempted robbery in which a teenager was punched in a failed bid to steal his rucksack.

At 3.45pm on Tuesday, 7 July a 15-year-old boy was walking along an alleyway off Stanley Road in Knutsford, when another teenager approached and punched him.

He tried to take his rucksack, but the boy managed to run off to safety.

The suspect is described as about 16 or 17 years of age, with dirty, blond, straw-coloured hair with a fringe down to his eyebrows.

He had very short, patchy facial hair on his chin and is around 6ft tall.

He was wearing a silver chain around his neck made of links, a light grey hoodie, with the hood up, and a gilet on top.

The gilet was a matt black colour and of a puffer style. He was also wearing light grey or white joggers.

PC Luke Rose of Macclesfield Local Policing Unit (LPU) said: “The teenager suffered a minor injury to his face and was left understandably shaken by his ordeal.

"I would urge anyone who recognises the description of the suspect, or who may have seen the offender in the area around the time of the incident, to contact Macclesfield LPU so we can bring this male to justice."

READ>> Tatton MP calls for Cheshire peatlands protection

Anyone who has any information on the attempted robbery should contact Cheshire Police on 101 or via cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/ quoting IML 748863.

Alternatively, information can be passed on to Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111, or crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously