Police probe 'shocking' attack on schoolboys

April 6, 2009

2 hours, 17 minutes ago

LONDON (AFP) - Police said Monday they were questioning two schoolboys after a

vicious attack on two kids aged nine and 11, reportedly involving bricks, knives

and cigarette burns.

The assault emerged when a nine-year-old boy was found Saturday walking the

streets of former mining village Edlington in Yorkshire, northern England,

covered in blood.

He told locals that he and his 11-year-old friend had been beaten up.

The 11-year-old was later found lying face down by the edge of a stream with

serious head injuries and covered in dirt and blood.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman said the premier would be following the

" shocking " case closely.

" Clearly, this is a shocking incident, as everyone else seeing these reports

will have seen, " Brown's spokesman told reporters.

" There is a police investigation under way, so it would be wrong to say more at

this stage, but obviously, we will follow the case closely. "

The BBC reported that their mobile phones, trainers and just three pounds (3.3

euros, 4.5 dollars) in cash were taken in the attack. The boys are thought to

have been out riding their bicycles when they were attacked.

Residents described their shock on finding the first boy, who had to have

surgery on his arm.

" My husband saw him walking past the outside of our house and he was covered in

what my husband thought was red paint, " said , 68.

" He was shaking very badly and going into shock. We managed to get his name out

of him and my husband told me to call an ambulance. "

Local police said two boys, aged 10 and 11, were arrested soon afterwards at

nearby allotments and remain in custody. Officers are carrying out

house-to-house enquiries.

None of the children involved in the case can be named because English law

prevents the press identifying minors in criminal cases.

Both victims are still in hospital.

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