Police cordoned off and secured the site of the attack

by Sam Williams

Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was stabbed in the stomach during an attempted robbery.

An 18-year-old man was walking through Victoria Park, in Jemmett Road, Ashford, with a friend on Saturday evening when they were approached by a man who demanded their phones.

But before he could get his phone out of his pocket, he felt a punch in the stomach and realised he had been stabbed. Police were called to the park at around 9pm, but the attacker had run off.

The teenager was taken to the William Harvey Hospital and underwent surgery. He is believed to be in a stable condition.

It is not known what weapon was used to cause the injury. Police are now urging witnesses to come forward.

DI Keith Roberts said: "We are appealing to anyone in the park on Saturday evening to come forward if they saw a man acting suspiciously.

"We have been told that a man on a bike rode past the two friends just prior to the attempted robbery. Was this the man who then came back or was it a witness who may have seen the offender and could have valuable information?

"I cannot urge too strongly the importance of coming forward if you saw something or have information about this crime. The level of violence during an attempt to steal a phone is highly unusual and this man needs to be caught."

The man is described as about 5ft 10in, with dark hair and wearing a grey tracksuit with matching top and bottoms. He had a scarf over the bottom half of his face.

Anyone with information is asked to phone Kent Police on 101, giving reference 24-1445, or Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.