Police are appealing for the public's help in tracking down two bicycle hijackers who have struck in the Southend area.

An Essex Police spokesman said the first incident happened at 4pm yesterday in Westcliff, at the junction of London Road and Fairmead Avenue.

A man wearing black motorcycle leathers and a crash helmet threatened a 12-year-old boy with a knife before riding off with his bike, a red and yellolw Amaco Kamikaze, down Westborough Road.

In the second incident an 18-year-old was pushed off his £700 Ox mountain bike near the Odeon Cinema in Elmer Approach, Southend, at 8pm on Tuesday.

The thief had short hair and a beard, and wore a black Puffa jacket and blue jeans. He rode off towards the seafront.

Anyone with information should call Southend police on 01702 431212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.