Two terrified teenagers travelling on a bus were followed for 22 miles by a car full of "intimidating" yobs.

The youngsters were pursued from Canterbury bus station to Herne Bay and back to Canterbury, by five teenagers making threatening gestures and reportedly wielding a knife.

The victims - cousins aged 14 and 15 - had been for food in the city before catching a bus home to Herne Bay, on the evening of May 31.

Sitting at the back of the top deck, they say they were waving to other drivers, some of whom waved back.

But they soon encountered a grey Ford Focus containing five boys thought to be in their late teens, who reacted menacingly and began following the bus.

The father of one of the cousins, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained: "The car kept stopping behind them. Every time the bus pulled in, the car pulled in.

"It even ran a few red lights, just to stay with the bus."

The boys spoke to the bus driver, who reportedly said he was aware of the car tailing them.

"The boys in the car were covering their faces up with their hands around their mouth," said the father.

"They were waving something at them that [my son and nephew] believe to be a knife - it was silver in colour and shiny.

"My son and nephew were quite scared at that point, and didn't want to keep looking back at them.

"They ended up going downstairs to sit downstairs, to try and feel a little bit safer."

Instead of getting off at Herne Bay as planned, the terrified cousins stayed on the bus for the duration of its circular route.

"The boys ended up following them all the way back to Canterbury Bus Station," said the father.

"My son and nephew were on the bus for almost three hours."

It was getting dark when the bus terminated in Canterbury - the Ford Focus also pulling in nearby.

"The boys were trying to call my son and nephew over," said the father.

"They were doing gun signal with their fingers."

The young boys ran to a local corner shop where the 15-year-old called his father, and they waited to be picked up.

"I straight away knew something was wrong," said the dad. "He sounded quite petrified."

After reaching the boys at about 10pm, he called the police.

"I just want to know what was the point behind it?" he said. "It was pure intimidation - basically bullying.

"There were five old teens against two young teens."

He says he hopes police will find the boys and "give them a good talking to", adding: "There have been stabbings and knife attacks in Canterbury, which is why I was so concerned."

Police are investigating the incident.

After receiving the report, officers carried out a search of the area, but the Ford Focus was not found.

A spokesman said: "Enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing."