POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two teenagers were attacked in Rossendale yesterday.

An 18-year-old was approached by two men on his way home from work in Bacup Road, Rawtensall, at 3.30pm.

Police said the men stopped him and asked: "What are you looking at?" Then they attacked him, jumping on him and kicking him.

A wage packet containing £50 dropped from his pocket and the offenders took it.

The first attacker was in his early 20s, 6ft1ins, dark hair, tanned, wearing a black woolly hat with a white band round it, black trousers and top. He spoke with a local accent.

The second offender was between 18-20, 5ft 11ins, with short, brown hair, acne scars on his face, wearing black trainers.

The second attack involved a 14-year-old boy who was walking along Market Street, Facit, at 9.20pm.

The teenager was pushed to the floor by a man who stole a blue Nike canvas wallet containing £10.

The offender was described as white, 6ft tall, wearing a dark or black bubble jacket, scruffy jeans and a dark baseball cap with a logo on the front. He had a moustache and smelled strongly of stale cigarette smoke.

Police said he could have been drinking at a nearby pub, possibly the Half Way House, and would like to speak to anybody who was in the area at the time.

Detective Sergeant Andy Gilbert said: "We are not connecting the two incidents but we are keeping an open mind because there hasn't been anything like this for a while.

"The descriptions are different but we are looking at all possibilities at this stage. We would like to hear from anybody who may have witnessed either of the attacks or who knows anything about them."

Anybody with information should contact Rossendale CID on 01706 237442 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.