A 17-year-old youth has suffered multiple stab wounds after refusing to hand over his mobile phone to a gang.

The teenager was attacked by three men at Newsham Park in Liverpool on Tuesday.

He was stabbed seven times in the head arms and legs, after being punched and knocked to the ground.

Merseyside police said they were investigating a link between the assault and a row in a nightclub a few weeks ago between the stabbing victim and a group of men.

Ran off

In the incident on Tuesday, the teenager suffered two wounds to his head, three to his left leg, one to his right leg and one to his wrist, causing nerve damage.

The injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

A police spokesman said the gang ran off - without the phone - in the direction of Kensington after the attack.

The man who punched the 17-year-old in the face was described as black, aged 19 to 20, 5ft 9in tall and wearing a dark blue hooded top, dark trousers and trainers.

The other two attackers are described as black, aged 19 to 20 and one had very short hair while the other wore a hooded top.

Phone thefts

About 700,000 mobile phones were stolen last year, many in violent attacks.

According to Home Office figures, schoolchildren - often targeted by other youths - are at least five times more likely to be targeted by mobile phone thieves than adults, with 48% of victims aged under 18.

The total number of phone robberies is thought to have risen almost threefold in five years, but mobile phone ownership is also rising rapidly.