POLICE are investigating after a worried dad said his 12-year-old son was left with bruises and grazes after he was attacke  by a man during an altercation in Colchester.

The father, who asked not to be named, said his son also suffered nosebleeds after a confrontation with a boy and his father at Old Heath recreation ground on Friday, July 29.

He said: “My son had been sticking up for a friend and arranged to have a fight with this other lad.

“The other lad and his father were waiting when he showed up.

“As the two lads were having a bit of a scrap, this grown man came over got him in a headlock and sent him to the pavement.

“He’s got grazes and bruises.

“The father told his son to stamp on his head ten times. My son was able to struggle free and ran to a friend’s house. He was taken to hospital and the police were also contacted.”

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But the dad claims officers only visited his home to investigate the assault after questions posed by the Gazette.

He added: “I accept my son is no angel, but if he was to throw a rock at a window or through a car windscreen the police would be round with immediate effect.

“We should have had the police round within 24 hours given the nature of this incident, involving an adult – aged between around 35 and 40 – attacking a child.

“He has bruising on his face, grazes and he had a noise bleed in the days after the incident which meant we had to take him to hospital.

“During the attack a member of the public stopped at some traffic lights and got out to shout over as my son was punched, kicked and stamped on.”

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating an assault on a 12-year-old boy in Colchester.

“It was reported the boy was involved in an altercation with another child in Old Heath Road at around 2.30pm on July 29 when he was assaulted by an adult.

“An officer has been allocated to the case and will progress enquiries into the incident.

“We have been in contact with the victim’s family to make them aware of this.”

Anyone with information, CCTV, dash came or other footage can contact the police on 101 quoting crime reference number 42/198910/22.