POLICE have slammed the thug who mugged a vulnerable teenager.

Officers said the 18-year-old man, who has learning difficulties, was walking along the rear of Chapel Street, Nelson, at 9.10am on Sunday when he was grabbed by his jacket and pushed into an alleyway and against a wall.

His attacker picked up a bottle and threatened to hit the teenager on the head with it, before searching him, punching him in the face and taking just £10.

The victim was left with a bruised face but was not said to be badly hurt, though he was shaken by the incident, according to police.

Sergeant Mick Nicholls, of Nelson police, said: "This is a particularly nasty offence, where a vulnerable victim has been taken advantage of and left very frightened by the experience.

"The police will not tolerate anything like this and we will be taking every step to make sure the person is brought to justice.

"I urge anyone who knows anything about this to contact the police and give us any information they have."

A Nelson man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the robbery and was being held in police custody yesterday.