TWO nine-year-old boys were threatened at knifepoint — for gobstopper sweets.

The children were playing in the park in St James Street, Daisy Hill, at about 5pm on Wednesday, when a boy, believed to be aged 11, pulled out a pen knife and threatened them.

Terrified, they ran home, without handing over the two gobstoppers to the boy.

The mother of one of the boys said her son had been unable to sleep because he was so scared.

She added: “My son was really shaken up after it happened. He had to sleep in my bed. I am concerned the boy is seriously dangerous. I think he is a danger to society. My son was so shocked.”

The 46-year-old mum went to the park following the incident and confronted the 11-year-old.

She said: “The boy came up to them and said ‘if you don’t give me those sweets I will stab you with this knife’.”

“I went to the park and asked the boy what he was playing at.

He told me it was a plastic knife, which he threw in the bushes. I told him I would be getting the police involved and he said he couldn’t be prosecuted because he wasn’t old enough. There were other people in the park and adults and nobody did anything.”

The knife was later found by police. Sgt Sarah May said: “An 11-year-old has been arrested in connection with the report of a robbery and he has been bailed pending further inquiries.

“A small knife was recovered from the scene. This happened in a park and we are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything to contact us.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 0958.