A TEENAGE boy was kicked and punched on the floor as a gang stole his mobile phone.

The lad was out with two friends, riding their bikes in the St Mary's area of Southampton, when they were approached by three other youths who asked for their bikes and food they were eating outside the Milan Pizza & Chicken Takeaway.

The victim and his friends tried to ride away, travelling past St Mary's church into Chappel Road and then Albert Road North but he was caught and pulled from his bike in Endle Street.

The attackers, all aged between 14 and 16-years-old and all riding bikes, stole the victim's plum-coloured Nokia N73 mobile phone worth £500 and left him on the floor with bruising to his face, a bloody nose and a lump behind his ear.

Today, detectives released crucial CCTV footage in a bid to find those responsible.

The trio are being hunted by police who have appealed for witnesses to the assault which happened around 12.30am on Wednesday July 18.

The first person is described as black, aged 15-16, slim build. He was wearing a black or navy baseball cap with white lines on the side, a grey tracksuit with a pattern on it.

He had poor teeth with a chipped tooth in the top row and was riding a dark coloured mountain bike.

The second youth is also 15-16 years old, white and approximately 5ft to 5ft 8in, wearing a grey-hooded top. He was of average build with a small moustache on his top lip.

The other teenager is white, approximately 14 or 15-years-old, wearing a tracksuit and riding a red and blue racing bike which looked new and expensive.