Knife-wielding man robs pupils

SIX pupils at Oldham’s historic Blue Coat school were mugged by an armed masked attacker.

The children were leaving Blue Coat School on September 27 when they were threatened at knifepoint and their mobile phones taken.

The first three were attacked as they headed for a bus by a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a small kitchen knife. Two of them complied and he ran off to St Mary’s estate. The pupils went back into school and reported the robbery.

Three more pupils later came forward to say they were targeted on the same day, though nothing was taken.

The attacker is described as white and in his 20s, with short blond hair. He was wearing a blue/purple hoodie with white drawstrings and black/grey tracksuit bottoms.

PC Steven Gilliland said: “We certainly don’t want to alarm pupils but we need to make people aware.

“We are investigating the possibility that all the robberies were carried out by one man, but we can’t rule out the possibility that more than one person could have done this.”

Information can be passed to police on 0161-856 9098 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800-555 1111.