A mum says her son’s confidence has been damaged after he was robbed on his way home from a chicken shop.

Carmen Belcher, 51, said her son, 16, was targeted after visiting Morleys Fried Chicken in Downham Way on Friday evening.

"He went in and three boys were watching him," Carmen told News Shopper. "He sensed them and got his chicken and sat at the back near the window.

"When he went outside, they followed him out to Southover Road."

The three suspects, described as being a similar age, then cornered the victim and threatened him with a knife.

Carmen said: "They asked him did he have anything electrical on him and they took his AirPods.

"They said 'you better give over what you have because we have a knife'."

The concerned mum said they also demanded to know where he lived, and they asked for his phone.

A woman walking along the street prompted the youths to scatter before they could snatch anything other than the ear plugs.

Her son was left "very upset" and called his aunt for help.

"I was out in Bromley with a friend and had no signal," Carmen said. "My sister told me he was hysterical and couldn’t talk for a while.

"I was horrified when I heard."

One of the intimidating youths was supposedly wearing a school uniform.

Carmen's son was unfamiliar with the uniform and said he is now too frightened to leave the house alone.

"He was quite a confident kid but he really isn’t at the moment. He was going to get a haircut when I was in work but he didn’t.

"He said he is now looking over his shoulder all the time. I’m worried about him non-stop now."

According to Carmen, muggings in Downham are nothing new and is something that has always been a threat.

The mum has lived in Downham all her life and said parents are on edge about the constant reports of knife crime in south-east London.

"I just want to get a warning out there," she said. "I want people to know so they can be on their guard.

"You shouldn’t have to be, but you do around here now."

A police spokesman said: "The victim was threatened by a number of male suspects who stole his earphones.

"The suspects intimated they had a knife, although one was not seen."

He added that no arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.