A GANG of youths demanded cash from others straying on their "territory", a mother claimed yesterday.

The woman, from York, who asked to remain anonymous, said her 14-year-old son has been subject to a number of incidents with thugs who asked him for money or items before letting him through part of the city's museum gardens.

She said: "This bunch of youths charges a tax. That's what they are calling it. They make kids pay £10 or so to be left alone.

"The same youths got my son on his own and robbed him. It is happening quite a lot and I want to raise awareness of this disturbing trend."

Her son claims the youths were carrying weapons during his attack, including knives and a sock filled with rocks.

The incident was reported to the police, though there has been no other accounts of similar attacks.

A spokesman for York Museum Trust, which owns the gardens, said they were shocked to hear of the alleged incident and will be looking into the matter further.