Police are investigating allegations of a racially motivated assault on a 10-year-old boy in Bristol by two other children.
The alleged attack, which was said to have left the victim with injuries to his face and body, took place at around 5.30pm in Fishponds, in the north-east of the city.
He was allegedly approached by two boys on Station Avenue South who took him to a nearby building site, racially abused and assaulted him. Two boys aged 11 and 12 were to be interviewed about the incident.
A member of the public found the victim, who is of Asian ethnicity, and took him back to her home.
He later received treatment at Bristol Royal children’s hospital before being discharged.
DI Steve Cartlidge, from Avon and Somerset police, said: “We’re treating this as a racially motivated crime due to words used by the offenders during the assault.
“Two boys, aged 12 and 11, have been identified and spoken to by officers and we’re arranging for them to be formally interviewed.
“The victim is due to be video interviewed to gain a full picture of what happened.
“Any form of hate crime will be thoroughly investigated and we will be supporting the victim’s family and keeping them fully informed of our progress.”
He thanked the woman who went to the boy’s aid after the assault and appealed for anyone who was in the area at the time to contact police.
The South Western ambulance service said it took a boy who was the suspected victim of an assault to hospital with a possible head injury.
