Parents on a Workington estate have been left reluctant to let their children play outside after a young boy was threatened with a knife.

The nine-year-old was near the junction of Sarsfield Road and Garth Road in Westfield when he was threatened.

Police say the group of youths held a knife to his throat at about 7.30pm on Thursday.

Helen Buchanan, 46, lives on Sarsfield Road with her sons Kian, six, and Luis, nine and said she had had messages since from concerned friends warning her.

She said: "I feel sorry for the little fella. Nothing like this has ever happened and I've lived here nine and a half years.

"It's scary because you're thinking about how many children are out on the fronts at night."

Helen said groups of children on the estate were not uncommon but they did not usually linger on street corners.

She added: "Luckily my eldest boy had a training game at Lillyhall with Seaton.

"Normally with the lighter nights he'd be out playing on the fronts with his ball.

"They all usually go up to the street corner because it's a bigger bit of grass for them.

"I've just said to my boys you're going to have to be careful but there's nowhere else for them to play.

"My other little boy is only six so now I'm thinking do I let them out or keep them in where I can see them, but you can't lock them up 24 hours a day."

Samantha Baker, of Garth Road, who is mum to Levi, seven, Keesha, six, and Dylan, one, said she would not let the children play out of her sight after the incident.

She added: "It does worry me because my children play on the fronts.

"We've had the trouble with the gangs and stuff so of course it gets to you when you've got young children."

Police want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident.

Officers are particularly keen to speak to a young woman who was in the area at the time.

She wore floral leggings and was possibly with a toddler.

The woman was either riding, or had with her, a scooter.

Anyone with information is urged to call PC 2308 Tarrandeep on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.