A gang of children as young as 12 are terrorising people in Leeds by breaking into properties and threatening people with a knife in the street.
Dozens of people in Hyde Park, Woodhouse and Burley have reported being approached by the group of youngsters, one of whom is said to be carrying a pocket knife.
Some people have even reported being sexually assaulted by the "cretins" after being chased and slapped on the backside during the incidents.
One student has reported being robbed at knifepoint in their own home, while another victim of the attacks has said some of the children climbed over their wall and "spat at us and then smashed the window before running off".
One woman said: "I assume what's the same gang of little cretins who are trying to mug people were hanging out in Burley Park just now.
"As me and my mate walked past one of them came up, slapped my arse and then called ME a slut when I told them to f**k off??"
'One of them carries a small penknife'
Another person said that their housemate and her boyfriend were approached by the group in Hyde Park.
"They followed and punched her boyfriend multiple times and also threw items at them," they said.
"Please be careful and don’t walk on your own!"
Another person posted online to say: "One of them asks for a cig and then tries to rob you.
"He does carry a small penknife so just be careful."
Leeds Beckett University student Oscar Bellerby was confronted by the group in Woodhouse Moor, Hyde Park, this afternoon (Sunday).
"Me and my girlfriend were approached by a group of about eight or nine kids," he said. "They must have only been about 12 or 13 years old.
"We had seen loads of things on Facebook about what was going on.
"I could tell it was them as soon as we saw them.
"I just thought 'This can't be happening', but then they started circling us.
"Then one of them then made a comment and said 'have you got the knife?' to one of his friends.
"It was like something out of a horror film."
Instead of reacting, Oscar and girlfriend walked away to try and avoid any confrontation. They escaped unharmed, but have said that it could have been different had he squared up to the group.
"When it happens to you, you suddenly realise that they could actually do some damage," he said.
"If one of them had pulled out a knife, we could have ended up in serious trouble. It could have gone completely the other way if we had handled it differently and hadn't just walked away.
"They are trying to intimidate people and I have no doubt that they are going to do something else."
Several students have told LeedsLive that they have reported the incidents to West Yorkshire Police, who are said to have increased patrols in the area.
