A SIX-year-old boy was attacked by a mugger who tried to steal his dinner money.

Hanza Ahmed's mother said that her son had been left traumatised and petrified following the attempted robbery in Stoneyholme, Burnley.

Hanza was walking home for his lunch from Stoneyholme Primary, Oswald Street, to his home in nearby Castle Street when the mugger - a skinny man in his 20s - struck.

Detectives said the spiky-haired man approached Hanza in Burleigh Street, and demanded money from him at 12.15pm on Tuesday.

Hanza immediately told him he had no money, so the thug kicked the youngster in the leg and searched his pockets, before ordering him to take his shoes and socks off.

He also patted down the boy's pockets while searching him.

The man then fled empty-handed, leaving Hanza to run home and report the incident to his parents.

Hanza's mother Shaheda Begum said the family was now ensuring that he was picked up and collected from school at all times.

She said Hanza remains reluctant to talk about what happened.

The 28-year-old said: "He has been petrified and traumatised by all this.

"He has been acting very weird and will not go to sleep on his own. He just wants to sleep in our bed now.

"This man needs to be locked up. I am very worried about the situation."

Detective Constable Neil Marr said that the boy was told to take off his shoes and socks, before the man fled towards nearby Arley Gardens.

He said: "This is a quite a close-knit community and I am sure that someone will have seen something happening at around this time.

"The lad was scared and shaken up by the incident but was not injured by the man."

Police say that the man had a spotty face and was wearing a grey jumper and navy tracksuit bottoms at the time of the attempted robbery.

Potential witnesses are asked to contact DC Marr on 01282 472144 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.