A MAN needed 80 stitches after he was stabbed in the chest during a gang robbery in Bolton town centre last night.

The victim, who has not been identified, was walking along Newport Street, towards Victoria Square, with a friend when they were attacked by four men -- one brandishing a knife.

His friend was also slashed across his body suffering injuries which needed 10 stitches during the attack, at 11.30pm last night.

Bolton Police have just launched a new robbery squad to combat an increasing number of street robberies.

The team has been formed to protect the rising number of young people who are being robbed by youths of their own age.

Detectives have revealed that the robberies are being carried out by a band of about 10 hardcore criminals aged as young as 14 who deliberately hunt and target vulnerable teenagers and pensioners.

They operate in hotspots across the town centre including the bus station, skate park, and walkways, mainly in the early afternoon and at weekends.

In the last year there have been 469 reported violent robberies in Bolton compared with 293 the year before, with the majority of victims aged under 17.

The thieves mainly steal money but mobile phone theft is on the increase.

Although some elderly people are targets, the victims are mainly children and teenagers.

News of the formation of the squad was announced hours before the latest attack.

The two victims stabbed last night -- aged 31 and 28 -- were walking along Newport Street when they were confronted by four men and ordered to hand over a ruck sack. During the confrontation, both men were stabbed.

The type of knife used in the robbery has not yet been established.

The victims were taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where they were stiil detained this lunchtime and were described by a spokesman as "comfortable."

Four men were arrested at the scene and were still being interviewed by detectives this afternoon.

The new robbery squad is made up of a core of police officers who have gained skills in detecting robbery as part of the ongoing Operation Hawk -- which aims to stamp out street crime.

Supt Don Brown of Bolton Police said: "The criminals are preying on the most vulnerable victims such as children and the elderly. Our message to these offenders is that we will hunt them down because we are determined to make Bolton a safer place for people."

He said there had been worrying rise in so-called "taxing" where children are prevented from going into certain areas of the town until they hand over personal possessions, typically by young people aged 14 to 22.

Supt Brown added: "This might sound like a childish cliche to some people but it is robbery and that carries very serious penalties which in extreme cases includes imprisonment.

"It is very disheartening that young people are becoming victims of crime at a very early age because it impacts on their lifestyle and undermines their confidence. We aim to work with Victim Support to restore that self-esteem."

Last year there were 155 cash thefts, 74 of mobile phones, and 70 handbag snatches.

But Supt Brown said people should not be alarmed by the dramatic rise in robberies.

Police are working with the council to look at ways of tackling the problem including the use of anti social behavious orders to keep the thieves out of the town centre and the offer of drug treatment within 24 hours of the suspects being arrested.

Police chiefs are also looking at the possibility of installing surveillance equipment in the hotspot areas and connecting them to the town centre radio link-up.