TWO men from Oldham have been charged following a string of violent robberies in Manchester city centre.

Samuel Cretu, 21, of Alton Street, Oldham has been charged with four counts of robbery, one count of section 18 assault and one count of conspiring to commit fraud and false representation.

Adionut Cretu, 21, of Alton Street, Oldham, has been charged with four counts of robbery, one count of section 18 assault and one count of conspiring to commit fraud and false representation.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with four counts of robbery, one count of section 18 assault and one count of conspiring to commit fraud and false representation.

All three people were remanded in custody to appear before Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court today.

Between 2am and 4am on Sunday, January 5, police received seven separate reports of robberies occurring north of the city centre, focussed on the Northern Quarter. Victims, aged between 20 and 60, were approached by three men before being assaulted and having possessions stolen.

At around 4am on Sunday, police received a report that a man had been assaulted and robbed on Union Street, Oldham.