A TEENAGER has spoken of the terrifying moment he and his girlfriend was robbed by two men who said they had a knife.

Bobby Mills, who is 16, was walking his girlfriend home through King George V playing fields near Morrisons on Thursday evening when they were approached from behind by two men in their thirties and forties

They were told that if they didn't give them anything valuable they had, they would be stabbed, with something sharp being pointed at them through the man's pocket, according to Bobby.

He told the Gazette: "They asked what the time was and then surrounded me. He’s patting me up and down asking if I have got anything on me.

"He took my phone and passed it to his mate and threatened to stab me if I didn’t reset it. I was panicking because I didn’t remember the email.

"My girlfriend has given her purse to them and they walk off."

He says that as soon as they disappear, they both run home.

"My heart was racing, I was struggling to speak. My heart was beating the whole time and my main thought was trying not to get stabbed.

"I was doing anything they said to get out of it."

His mother said that she "couldn't believe" what had happened, adding that she was "disgusted".

"You just don't think that it would happen," Lisa Rafferty said, who is currently in hospital after injuring her knee.

"I couldn’t do anything about it which was exceptionally frustrating. I’m stuck here, and like any parent you want to find out who they are.

"I’m devastated and disgusted by the fact it’s getting worse."

The incident happened on January 2 at around 7pm, coming after a number of incidents that happened in Basingstoke over the New Year period.

On New Year's Eve, two men stole a rucksack containing clothes, a bracelet and a mobile phone from a 28-year-old sitting at a bus stop in Popley.

And on New Year's Day, a bandana-clad teenager wielding a knife approached a man near Morrisons, asking for the victim's phone and money. When he refused, the boy, described as 16 or 17, ran off.

"That’s all you seem to be hearing lately," Lisa continued.

"I’ve posted online and another person said this is the third time this week.

"Everyone is saying it’s getting worse and you can’t walk through a park now without this happening."

Bobby said that he was "shaky" following the incident, especially when he tried to sleep that night.

"What made me even angrier is that you've got older men targeting youngsters," Lisa continued.

"I just want it to stop and the more that we get it out there, the more we can make people aware of it."

Hampshire Constabulary have since launched an appeal for witnesses.

They are urging anyone who may have been in the area, or have dashcam or CCTV footage of the vicinity in the build-up to the robbery, to get in touch.

Neighbourhood Inspector Richard Lane said: “We would like to reassure the public that we take incidents of this kind extremely seriously and we are carrying out a thorough and robust investigation to trace these suspects.

“Two other robberies have been reported to us in the last few days. I cannot say at this time whether any of the incidents are linked but of course, this is one of several lines of enquiry.

“Officers from our Neighbourhood Team and from our Response and Patrol Team will be carrying out high visibility foot, cycle and vehicle patrols in the community over the weekend and the next few days.

“Please go and speak to them if you have any concerns."

The first suspect is described as being a white male in his mid-40s, with a bushy ginger beard, a ‘croaky’ voice and was coughing during the robbery. Police say he was wearing a coat with the hood up.

The second male is also described as white, who was wearing a grey coat with the hood up, with fur around the hood.

Insp. Lane continued: “We would also ask you to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious. Were you in the area at the time? Do you recognise the description? Do you have CCTV or dash cam footage that might show something of interest?

“If you have any information about this crime, please get in touch by calling 101 and quoting 44200002134.

“Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”