A 14-year-old boy was threatened by a man brandishing a pen-knife as he walked to school.

The attempted robbery happened at the corner of Cornwallis and Littlehay Roads, Cowley, Oxford, at about 8.25am yesterday.

A man grabbed the young boy and told him to empty his pockets. The boy shouted at him and punched him before running away.

Police are looking for a man, who is described as white, in his twenties, 6ft 2in tall, with dark hair. He was wearing a scruffy denim jacket and jeans, trainers and a dark cap.

Police also want to hear from anyone who might have seen two men, who robbed a German student in Thames Street, Oxford, at 8.50pm on Tuesday.

The men asked the student to help them push-start their car. When he offered to help, they pushed him against a wall and stole his rucksack, which contained some German currency and a camera.

Both men are described as tanned, aged between 16 and 17, and about 5ft 9in tall. One is slim with gelled hair, the other is stocky and was wearing a grey hat and hooded jacket.

Anyone with information about either incident should contact Det Con Justin Gosling on 01865 266333, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.