A student was today nursing a broken tooth and cuts after being beaten and robbed while walking home.

Chris Rickard, 17, of Bowers Gifford, was surrounded by a gang of six or seven teenagers who stole his wallet and threatened to stab him and a friend.

The injuries could have been worse had it not been for a passing motorist who saw the assault taking place and called out to the thugs that she was phoning the police.

Mr Rickard said: "It was quite frightening and we were both quite shaken. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before."

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