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Dad tells of gunpoint terror
Simon (left) and brother Giles Ingham, sons of Preston bus station designer Keith Ingham. Simon lives in Ansdell and Giles in St Annes.
A TERRIFIED father has told of the moment his son was held up with a gun and knife during a shocking armed robbery.
Simon Ingham’s 17-year-old son was walking through Ashton Gardens, St Annes, when he and three teenage friends were detained by a man with a hunting knife and pistol.
One of the teenagers was slashed across the face with the knife as the violent thug robbed them of their mobile telephones and money.
Mr Ingham, a postman from Ansdell, today told The Gazette: “They argued with him at first then laughed him off and that’s when he lashed out with the knife.
“They didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation until they got out of the park and saw blood was pouring down the boy’s face.
“The robber knew exactly what he was doing and wasn’t jumpy or nervous.
“My son says he is fine but he has definitely been a bit different since it happened.”
The boys had been making there way home through the park at 10pm last Friday when the attacker began following them.
The teenager who was slashed required treatment at Blackpool Victoria Hospital following the incident and has not been able to return to school since.
Mr Ingham added: “It’s lucky he wasn’t very close to the attacker because it could have messed his whole face up.
“They are all very lucky because if someone had decided to play the hero it could have ended up much worse.
“He took money from all of them and a wallet from one of them, but he managed to take his debit card out before handing it over.”
Mr Ingham says more should be done to organise events for teenagers during an evening to keep them off the streets and help avoid incidents like this happening in the future.
He added: “I don’t really like him going to Ashton Gardens, but there is nothing for them to do at the age of 17 and it has led to the problems.
“I don’t like him hanging around the streets, but on the other hand, I used to but we were hassled by police and constantly being moved on.
“There are fewer and fewer facilities around here and I would hate to think what I would do if I was 17.”
Police are still appealing for anyone with information to get in touch to help catch the attacker urgently.
They are currently in the process of putting together a computer generated image which they hope could lead to the identity of the assailant.
He was described as white, between 17 and 20 years of age and of very slim build.
At the time of the attack he was wearing a dark Adidas hooded top with stripes and dark tracksuit bottoms.
Det Insp Tony Baxter, from Lancashire Police, said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the four boys and I would appeal to anyone who has any information to come forward.
“I would also appeal to anyone who recognises the description of the offender or to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in or around the Ashton Gardens area last night to contact us.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police by calling the new non emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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