A worried mum is warning people to be on their guard after her son and his friend were followed and chased by men wearing ski masks who threatened them with knives.

On Tuesday, the 15-year-old Fulston Manor School pupils were allegedly stalked into McDonald's in Mill Way, Sittingbourne, before being chased when they left towards the railway station.

Concerned Kirsty Pearce, who is from the town, says the incident started at around 4.10pm and the men tried to drag the boys down an alleyway near Langs bar in St Michael's Road.

The 38-year-old said: "The men put ski masks on and chased them through to the station before trying to get them down an alleyway near the pub.

"They said they had knives and were trying to take the boys' phones and chased them into the high street near NatWest."

According to Ms Pearce three men came to the boys' aid when they saw them shouting for help and chased the two masked men away. They stayed with them until their dads arrived.

She added: "It's every parents' worst fear and left my son's friend quite shaken.

"People have got in touch to say they've had similar incidents happen to their children.

"I've emailed the school and asked them to hold an assembly about safe guarding and how the children can keep safe."

The Sittingbourne mum has been in touch with McDonald's and hopes it will have CCTV of the men they can send to police.

The youngsters described one of the men as being 6ft with a slight beard and the other as being 5ft 7in. Both were said to have eastern European accents.

Another mum said a similar "scary" incident happened to her son who had two men in masks try to block his path.

While another added: "There is definitely CCTV by the station. So worrying as that is [the] time children are on [their] way home from school if they have been to after-school clubs – not even as if it’s later in [the] evening."

A third concerned parent commented: "My son's three friends were at Sittingbourne station around two months ago and were approached by some foreign men who threatened them and grabbed one by the neck and told another to remove his jacket.

"What on earth has the world come to?"

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at 5.28pm on Tuesday following a report of an attempted robbery in Sittingbourne High Street, where two men are reported to have threatened two teenagers at around 4.10pm.

"Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing."