A driver is appealing for justice on behalf of two "frightened" teenagers who flagged him down and pleaded for help during a late-night mugging in Locksbottom.

The man was driving home from work at 11.30pm on Tuesday night when he spotted a gang of people at a pedestrian crossing on Crofton Road.

"There was about six of them hanging around," the man, who wished to be anonymous, told News Shopper.

"I was a bit wary and pulled down slowly. The guy was flustered and pale in the face. He said these boys are mugging them and can I help or jump in."

The driver was initially worried about it being a set up before a group scattered into a car and drove off leaving the two boys behind.

He said the boys were around 18 and in the "spur of the moment" he advised them to call the police while he chased after the car to capture a number plate.

"They were in fear," he said. "They were just young innocent lads. They were pale white with shock."

The man, who said he felt propelled to help because he now has his own children, then returned to the victims to see if they were ok.

"They told me they were threatened with their lives to hand over phones, which they did. They were asked whether they wanted to lose their lives and said the group kept touching their pockets as if they had a knife."

The man has appealed on social media for help on finding the suspected muggers, which has been shared almost 500 times.

He gave the youngsters his phone number and a picture of the car's registration and asked them to contact him with any updates.

"I haven't heard nothing so I might report it as well," he said. "The guys were so shaken up and I want to contact police myself in case they got my number wrong or anything."

He told News Shopper he hoped sharing an image of the car's number plate would prevent the suspected muggers from returning to the area.

However, a similar incident was reported in the Sevenoaks Road area last night.

"A lady on Facebook contacted me to say her partner was attacked by four lads getting off a bus," the man said.

News Shopper has contacted police for more information about the Crofton Road mugging.