A nine-year-old boy was assaulted and smeared with mud during an incident in St Ives on October 18.

The boy was walking home from school between 3-3.30pm when he entered an alley off Ramsey Road and was confronted by a group of teenagers.

PC Chris Shaw said: “Four unknown persons, males believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, grabbed the boy and demanded his mobile phone and money.

“When they found he had no money and a very simple phone, they were abusive to him, punched his arm, smeared his face with mud and then ran off. Investigations into the incident are on-going.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.