Two schoolboys were threatened with what looked like a gun and forced to hand over their bicycles.

Anthony Rutter, 12, and Robbie Moore, 14, pictured, were out riding at Chellow Dean, Daisy Hill, Bradford, with their 14-year-old friend Lee Bruce when the robbery happened at about noon on Monday.

Anthony's mother, Brenda Rutter, said the three boys were out riding on the first day of the school holidays when three men called them over.

Mrs Rutter said one of the men told them his brother's bike had been stolen and asked to have a look at the boys' bikes.

She said one of the men then said he had a gun, showed them something, and told the boys that if they didn't hand over their bikes he would shoot them.

The men stole Anthony's and Robbie's bikes and escaped, leaving the three boys badly shaken.

"They were really upset. I just thought, "God, he could've shot them'," said Mrs Rutter.

The boys reported the incident to the police and officers took them around the area to look for the suspects but they could not spot them.

Mrs Rutter, of Merrivale Road, Allerton, said it was the second bike Anthony had had stolen since just before Christmas. His friend Robbie had got his bike just the day before the robbery.

Anthony's bike is described as a red, yellow and black Magna Demon and Robbie's bike is a black and yellow Chicago Thunder.

Mrs Rutter said she could not afford to replace her son's bike a second time.

The first man is described as Asian, 20 years old, 5ft 10ins tall and thin with short, black hair and a goatee beard. He was wearing a white pull-over jacket, with a pocket on the front, and black trousers.

The second suspect is Asian, in his late teens, 5ft 8ins tall, thin, with short, black hair. He wore a black nylon jacket.

The third man is also Asian, aged 17, skinny, with short, straight hair and oval-shaped spectacles.

Anyone who witnessed the robbery or has any information is asked to contact PC Steve Oates on (01274) 376259.