A queue of teenagers waiting to go into Options Nightclub was targeted by a gang of muggers.

The police received four complaints from victims who all said they were robbed by a gang of black youths at around the same time in the evening as they were queuing up for an under 18 disco on Tuesday last week.

A spokesman at Kingston Police Station said he thought the attackers were opportunists who took advantage of the age of their victims and said he did not want people to think Kingston town centre had a particular problem with this sort of crime.

Small amounts of money were taken from each of the victims and at least one of them was threatened with a lock knife with a four inch blade.

The attacks happened between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Most of the victims described the suspects, who were thought to be in a group of ten 15, 16 to 18 year-olds, as black and wearing hooded tops.

The victims ranged from between 14 and 16 years of age, some came from outside Kingston, and police said they all went home before reporting the incident.

Police are appealing for witnesses, call 0181 247 5124.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.