Report of assault on child - police investigate

Boy left shaken by incident

Police are investigating a report of an assault on a child, which happened yesterday evening.

A 12-year-old boy was playing with friends around the outer fencing of Cronk Y Berry school's playground, at the rear of Berry Woods Avenue at around 6.30pm.

He was approached by a blonde-haired woman, aged between 30 and 40.

She was wearing a grey tracksuit and was not known to the boy.

This woman is said to have grabbed the boy and pushed him against the school fence, using both her hands around his neck to hold him there. She made threats towards him and pulled his hair.

The boy managed to break free from her grasp and ran away across to Cronk Y Berry School grounds. The woman is believed to have left the area in the direction of Berry Woods Avenue.

The boy's face and neck were left reddened, and both he and his friends who witnessed the assault were distressed by the woman's actions.

PC Amie Brew says, "For an adult to assault a child of any age is completely unacceptable. Grabbing anyone around the neck no matter what their age can have serious consequences".

If you saw or heard anything in relation to this assault police are asking you to call them on 631212, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.