A STUDENT was robbed of her phone as she stood sending a text in Southampton city centre.

The 23-year-old was unhurt but three men who saw the incident unfold outside Maplins near York Walk intervened and brought the offender to the ground.

But they then backed away when the offender put his hand in his pocket which led them to believe he may have had a knife on him.

Case officer DC Miles Wilson said: “This was an attack on a single female that would have been a lot worse were it not for the actions of the men who intervened.

“There would have been a lot of people in the area at that time of day and police are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the struggle or saw the offender run off.”

The offender is described as a white man in his late teens, around 6ft tall, dark hair, and wispy facial hair.

He was wearing a purple bar piercing in his left eyebrow and had a large hole in one earlobe. He had a tattoo on his right forearm.

He was wearing a black jacket over a grey tracksuit.

The incident happened at about 5.15pm, Thursday, February 26.

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Wilson at Southampton Central police station on 101 or the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.