A 14-year-old girl’s hair was set on fire during an unprovoked attack by five children.

The victim and her friend were waiting for the 151 bus outside the cinema in St Nicholas Way on Monday, February 11, at around 4.30pm.

They were approached by a group of younger girls and a boy. One of the girls barged into the 14-year-old and the group accused her of being rude, staring at them and giving them dirty looks.

On the bus the bullies taunted the girl and grabbed her Oyster card wallet and tipped its contents on the floor.

The victim and her friend got off the bus in Manor Road, Wallington, only to be followed by the group of four girls and the boy. The bullies demanded money from their victim and were given £8.

When they got to Springfield Road the girls pulled the 14-year-old by her hair to the ground, ripping some of her it out, and kicked her.

The boy used a lighter to set fire to her hair and the group ran off laughing.

The five youths involved in the attack, who all go to school in Sutton, appeared at Croydon Youth Court on February 14.

The boy pleaded guilty to common assault and is due to be sentenced on March 7.

The four girls pleaded guilty to robbery and are due to be sentenced on March 14.

They were given bail with conditions not to travel on the 151 bus, not to contact the victim or her friend, and not to associate with each other.

Detective Constables Mark Cooper and Ian Griffith, from Sutton’s burglary and robbery investigation team, worked 24-hour shifts to investigate the crime.