TWO thugs attacked and robbed schoolchildren when they wanted cigarettes and money, a court heard yesterday.

Heroin addict David Barnes and his friend Kelvin Llewellyn even hit one 14-year-old brave boy in the face with a brick when he tried to retrieve his phone.

And in another incident both thugs were stopped from committing a robbery at Bolton bus station by an off-duty police officer.

When they needed cash they picked on vulnerable youngsters at the bus station or in the town centre and began by asking for cigarettes or a few pence for bus fare.

Then they would ask to borrow their victim's mobile phone. If was not handed over they would snatch it and run off.

At Bolton Crown Court yesterday, Barnes was sentenced to youth custody for a total of 21 months and Llewellyn was imprisoned for a total of 18 months.

The court heard that on March 22 a 16-year-old boy and his cousin were at Bolton bus station when Barnes and Llewellyn approached them.

Barnes asked for 40p but the boys refused and one of them was then threatened with being beaten up. An off-duty policeman intervened stopping the robbery.

In April, the men carried out a similar attack on a 14-year-old boy and his friend. They asked for cash and then asked to borrow his mobile.

He refused but Barnes snatched it and the thieves ran off with the 14 year-old boy chasing them for a considerable distance.

Finally both Barnes and Llewellyn stopped, picked up bricks and hit him on the head and in the face. But despite that the boy continued the chase until he was too tired to go on.

The men also targeted a 14-year-old girl and her friend who were waiting for a bus at Bolton bus station. They snatched her phone and ran off.

Barnes, aged 19 of Jessie Street, Deane, and Kelvin Llewellyn, aged 20, of Oriel Street, Deane, appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence.

Barnes and Llewellyn both admitted attempted robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft.

The court was told that Barnes had been addicted to heroin at the time and committed the crimes to feed his habit.

Llewellyn was said to be easily-led and vulnerable both outside and inside prison. He admitted being present at the attempted robbery but used no violence.