A teenage gang who attacked two boys in Stevenage after they refused to hand over cigarettes is being hunted by police.

Two 16-year-olds were left with minor injuries after the attempted robbery by five teenagers on the raised platform outside the Housing Registry in The Forum at around 4.45pm last Thursday.

The all-male group approached the boys and asked for a cigarette, which they handed over. When they refused to hand over more they were attacked, police said.

The offenders are described as: white, around 17-years-old, 5ft 11ins tall, slim to medium build with a skinhead and wearing a black hooded top; mixed-race, around 16-years-old, 5ft 7ins tall, with a large build and short black spiked hair; white, around 16-years-old, 5ft 5ins tall, with a slim build, a skinhead and a black hooded top; white, around 17-years-old, 6ft tall with shaven fair hair; and white, around 14-years-old, 5ft 5ins tall, with spiked black hair.

Dc Hayden Coggins, investigating, said: “We know that there were people who witnessed this offence and some members of the public intervened. I would appeal to anyone who has any information to contact police.”

If you can help, call 01438 57224 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.