A mother feared the worst after she was told her teenage son was being threatened at knife-point.

The ordeal began after Ella Saward-Hutton dropped off 18-year-old Oliver at Northfleet Youth Centre's accessibility club in Hall Road, Gravesend.

She said: "He met up with his girlfriend and while there he said he didn't want to go out with her anymore.

"Seven children surrounded him with one putting a knife to his stomach saying 'if you don't take her back I'm going to stab you'.

"The boy with the knife was then distracted by a girl saying to put it away and Ollie saw a chance to get away."

A friend of Oliver's phoned Ella telling her what happened. She told them to put the phone down and run away to somewhere safe.

She then immediately phoned the police before getting in her car to head back to the youth centre.

Ella, from Gravesend, continued: "When I was told someone held a knife to Oliver I was thinking 'Oh my god what will happen next?'

"I did wonder what I was going to come to."

Ella said her son and his friends ran to the Cygnet Leisure Centre next door.

"As I rushed over there I saw the boy with the knife walking towards me," she continued.

"He was screaming Oliver's name and I was doing the same thing to find him but he didn't want to answer because then he would know where he was.

"It just so happened I saw Oliver's reflection in the door so I put myself in between the boy and my son because I much preferred he stabbed me.

"It was scary. He had a knife but your instincts kick in to protect your young.

"I would take on anybody who would go for him."

Ella stood between the door and the boy, shouting at him to leave her son alone while she waited for police to arrive a few minutes later.

'He did nothing wrong, there was no reason for this....'

A police spokesman confirmed officers were called to a report of a disturbance in Old Perry Street, Gravesend, shortly after 6.50pm on March 8.

"Officers attended and it was reported that two teenage boys had been threatened," she added.

"A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, namely a multi-tool.

"He has since been bailed pending further inquiries and an investigation is ongoing."

Oliver, who has autism, myotonic muscular dystrophy – a condition which causes muscle weakness and wasting – and respiratory hypertension, has been mentally scarred by what happened, according to his mother, who said he had not been the same since.

"He was really shaken up by it. He was scared, he thought he'd be seriously harmed and he thought the boy was going to do it – he feared for his life.

"He keeps asking me 'why was it done?' and I can't give him an answer. That's what upsets me most, I can't answer him and I can't stop it from happening again.

"I don't understand how Oliver got caught up in it. He is never involved in things like that.

"He did nothing wrong, there was no reason for this, it was retaliation over nothing.

"He used to go to this club every week but I won't let him go anymore.

'I was shouting at him to leave my son alone.'

"I have to stop him from having freedom because one thug decided to take a knife out onto the street and threaten to use it – it feels like I can't keep him safe outside the house anymore.

"Oliver deserves to be able to go out feeling safe and at the moment he doesn't."

The group is open to young people between ages 11 and 25 who have additional needs.

Kent County Council describes Northfleet Youth Centre as "a safe place to hang out with your friends and meet new people".

Oliver had been going to the club since he was 11.

A KCC spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident that took place in a car park close to Northfleet Youth Centre prior to its opening and before any staff were present at the site.

"On their arrival staff ensured all young people present were safe and well and the matter was reported to the police.

"The council continues to support vulnerable young people through regular and focused group sessions."