CHILDREN as young as ten are being targeted by a gang of teenage girl robbers.

Four girls aged between 13 and 16 are believed to be behind a spate of muggings in Nelson dating back to August 8.

Today police urged people to help catch the gang and appealed for witnesses to the attacks - which have included two in the same day - to come forward.

The attacks include:

o Monday August 8: Two female juveniles walked up behind a ten-year-old girl at Netherfield Road at noon, pushed her to the ground, searched her pockets and stole £10 cash and a £1 phonecard.

o Monday August 8: A 16-year-old girl was sitting on a bench at Nelson bus station on Broadway at 3.15pm when a girl apporached her demanding property. She was headbutted and had her hair pulled before cigarettes were stolen.

o Tuesday August 9: A 16-year-old girl had a silver mobile phone grabbed from her hand on Lomeshaye Road at 2.50pm.

Insp Jon Bullas urged the community to help officers find the group.

He said: "We believe it to be the same offenders, a group of between two and four females aged approximately 13 to 16. They are going round picking on and robbing property from young females. In one case it was a packet of cigarettes, £10 and a phone card.

"They tried to grab a mobile phone,

"We are treating it extremely seriously do to the people involved. We are making inquiries into it and have some positive lines of inquiry.

"I would appeal for anybody in those areas, at those times who may have witnessed the incidents to contact us at Nelson police station with any information whatsoever. We're keen to catch these individuals and we want need the support of the community to stop these attacks on young females."

Anyone with information should contact Sgt Louise Darcy on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

o In two separate attacks, a seven-year-old girl and an 11-year-old were also robbed. On August 2 an 11-year-old girl was walking along Manchester Road with a friend. Someone tried to grab her mobile phone which was hanging on a chain around her neck and then tried to rifle her pockets. On August 6, a seven-year-old was playing with her sister between 4pm and 4.30pm when she was approached and a gold chain was stolen from around her neck.