A young man was threatened with a "meat cleaver" as he walked through Gillingham.

Aaron Kirkwood was walking along East Street at about 3.45pm on Monday when a man on a bike brandished the knife and demanded he hand over his bag.

Quick-thinking Aaron, 25, who is autistic, stepped behind a parked car and ran off, only stopping to dial 999.

As he called the police, the would-be robber - whom he described as black and in his 30s - stood on the corner of the road watching him before cycling off.

Aaron had been walking to visit his mother, who lives nearby, and was texting on the phone when the man approached him and ordered him to "give me your bag".

Aaron, of Churchill Avenue, Chatham, said: "I was so scared, I couldn't say anything, especially when he waved what looked like a meat cleaver at me.

"It all happened so quickly, but I was determined he was not going to get my bag. I'd only just bought it and it cost me £30.

"This is not the first time this has happened around here. This was in the middle of the afternoon. It was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. People need to be alert."

Police spokesman Vicki Foster said: "Police were called at 3.49pm on August 3 to a report of an attempted robbery in East Street, Gillingham.

"Officers attended the area and carried out a search and at around 7pm a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery. He remains in custody while inquiries continue."

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