A police probe has been launched after a boy was seen "hysterically begging for his life" while being chased through a supermarket by a knife-wielding gang.
Shoppers at the Lidl store in Blackpool said it was "the most terrifying thing you could imagine".
The victim, believed to be around 16 years old, ran into the shop at around 2.30pm on Monday "screaming for help", Lancs Live reports.
as he was chased around the aisles by the gang wearing balaclavas.
One mum, who was shopping at the store with her five-month-old child, said the gang were "pushing everything and anyone out of their way in the process".
She described how they ran into the stock room "where they all caught up with him" and one of the gang "dropped a knife on the way out and it wasn't small".
In a post on Facebook, she said: "Do you know where your son is right now? Because I've just had to witness the most terrifying thing you could imagine, whilst shopping with my baby in Lidl.
"One young lad on his own, running barefoot around the shop screaming for help being chased by a gang of lads wearing balaclavas with knives. Pushing everything and anyone out of their way in the process, my 5 month old nearly got thrown out of her pushchair.
"He run into the stock room where they all caught up with him unfortunately, I'm not sure how he is currently. One of them dropped a knife on the way out and it wasn't small.
"The sound is something that will honestly haunt me for the rest of my life. I'm shaken and it wasn't even me.
"Genuine cries and pleads, hysterically begging for his life, he must have been 16, 17 at a push. That's someone child.
"And as for the culprits, also someone's child. If you don't know the whereabouts of your children right now, I'd do something about it."
Witnesses reported the youths fled the store on electric bikes and the boy was kept in a store room until police arrived at the scene.
Lancashire Constabulary said: "We are aware and the matter is under investigation at this time." Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting log 0732 of June 20.
