Teen knocked off bike and threatened with knife during attempted robbery

A schoolboy was pushed off his bike, attacked and threatened with a knife during an attempted robbery by three masked men in Glasgow, Police Scotland have said.

The would-be robbers were demanding the 14-year-old boy hand over his school bag but fled the scene when he started shouting for help.

During the "terrifying ordeal'', the teenager was cycling along the canal path in Knightswood when he was thrown off his bike by the three black-clad men and then assaulted.

After the attack, the boy was helped by an elderly woman waiting at nearby bus stop who let him use her mobile phone to call his family.

Officers have now issued a public appeal for help to track down the culprits following the attempted robbery, which happened near Keal Avenue at approximately 5pm on Sunday August 9 but was only reported to police on Friday.

At the time of the attack, the three men were wearing black clothes and all had face coverings, according to police.

Detective Constable Robert Fox from Govan's Community Investigation Unit said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim and it is vital that we trace the individuals involved.

"We would appeal to anyone who was on the canal path on the evening of Sunday 9 August and may have witnessed this incident, or noticed anything suspicious, to please get in touch.

"In particular we would ask the elderly woman who came to the assistance of the victim to come forward.''

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Community Investigation Unit based at Govan by calling 101, quoting incident number 1969 of Friday September 4 2020.

To provide details anonymously, witnesses can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.