A MAN wielding a four-inch knife and claw hammer threatened two terrified teenagers in an attempted robbery in Basingstoke.

Police are searching for a man who used abusive and threatening language to intimidate two 14-year-olds, demanding they empty their pockets when he confronted them between 7.35pm and 7.45pm in the play park in Tiverton Road, Winklebury last Wednesday.

A man and woman were seen walking past the play park carrying a crate of beer, before the man returned to confront the teenagers who were on the swings.

He threatened them while holding a four-inch knife in one hand and a claw hammer in the other, demanding they empty their pockets.

He left the park by walking along a footpath that runs parallel to Tiverton Road, alongside the allotments.

The man is described as white, overweight, around 6ft 1ins, with slight stubble on his face and with a receding hair line, and was wearing a black or very dark coloured hooded top with the hood pulled up, grey tracksuit bottoms and possibly trainers.

The woman with him was described as white, around 5ft 6ins, and of a very large build wearing a waist-length, white, Puffa-style jacket.

Nothing was stolen in the attempted robbery and neither boy was injured.

Detective constable Jonathan Duggan, from Basingstoke CID, said: “I would like to hear from anyone who may have been in the Tiverton Road area on the evening of Wednesday, March 23, or who saw a man and a woman walking in that area at that time, to get in touch.

“I would like to reassure people that this was an isolated incident which is being treated with the utmost seriousness.”

Anyone with any information should contact Basingstoke CID on 101 quoting 44160115209