A MAN was knocked to the ground and robbed while having a smoke outside a block of flats.

The 32-year-old was approached by two men who demanded money off him just after midnight on Wednesday at Chesterton Court, Norton near Stockton.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "The first male requested that the victim empty his pockets and when the victim refused a second male then punched the victim to the back of the head and then in the cheek, knocking the victim.

"The first male again asked the victim to empty his pockets, taking a large amount of cash. The two males walked off in the direction of Norton Road, near to La Porto Italian restaurant.

"The first suspect is described as a black male, aged 25 years old, of medium build and around 5ft 10ins tall. He is described as having short, black bushy hair and was wearing a black jacket which looked like a shell suit with a bubble effect front, dark jeans and trainers.

"The second suspect is described as a white male, aged 25 years old, of medium build and wearing a black baseball cap, a blue Ellesse hooded top with the hood pulled up and black Nike tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe running down the leg from the hip to the knee."

  • Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Lee Busby from Stockton Operational Crime Team on the non-emergency number 101, quoting event number 17192.