A TWELVE-year-old boy was threatened by a man wielding a flick knife as he walked to school with a pal.

Medway Police are keen to question the man and are appealing for witnesses to come forward after the frightening attack which happened between 8.30am and 9am on Wednesday.

The boy and his friend were walking towards school across the Great Lines in Gillingham and were coming to an exit area and footpath near the hospital wall when they saw the man sitting on some steps drinking from a bottle. The man got up and started to follow the boys, who got scared and started to run away.

The victim tripped up, which is when the man got close to him and produced a black-handled flick knife. He got the knife out of his jacket and threatened him, as this happened the boy's friend saw the knife and ran to get help.

Although the man did not injure the victim with the knife, when he tried to get up the boy was kicked and punched by the thug.

He then started to walk away from the terrified boy back onto the Lines and was last seen heading towards the War Memorial.

A spokesman for Medway Police said: "This is a particularly nasty incident for a young boy to have to go through.

"His attacker is about 20, 5ft 8in and of slim build with short black hair. He was dirty and scruffy and he was wearing a grey and black baseball cap, blue denim jacket with a washed out white front and blue trousers, possibly jeans, and he had a silver hoop earring in his right ear."

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Medway Police on 01634 884252 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.