A teenager was today due to go under the knife after his cheekbone was fractured in an unprovoked street attack.
Medics have told the 16-year-old that he will need a metal plate inserted in his face, following the incident in Cullercoats just over a week ago.
The lad, who the Chronicle has agreed not to name, had enjoyed a day at the beach with friends before the attack happened. But as he headed towards the Metro station to make his way home to Lemington, in Newcastle, he was assaulted.
The college student was due to have surgery at the Royal Victoria Infirmary on Monday afternoon.
His mum said: "I think so he’s a bit nervous about it but he knows he needs it. They said it will take about an hour and a half."
The teen was one of hundreds of people who travelled to the North East coast on Saturday March 26 to enjoy the unusually warm spring weather. His mum said he was heading towards Cullercoats Metro Station when he was attacked, on John Street.
He thinks the attack happened near Quality Pizza takeaway.
"As far as my son can remember he was punched in the face," his mum explained last week. "He's not sure but he thinks the person that punched him had a towel wrapped round their hands.
"They told my son and his friend they were lucky they didn’t have knives on them. He said these lads came from nowhere. They said they were looking for someone in red shorts, and my son had red shorts on.
"It's a scary world."
The victim was taken to hospital by police. And at around 9pm one of his friends called his mum to say he was at the the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSEC) in Cramlington.
Police are still hunting the attackers.
A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “Shortly before 7.30pm on March 26, we received a report of an assault on John Street, Cullercoats.
“It was reported that a 16-year-old male had been assaulted by a group of teenagers resulting in minor injuries to his face and head. Enquiries are ongoing.”
The victim's mum is still hoping new witnesses will come forward with information.
She added: "My son can't make a statement or anything until later this week so hopefully by the end of the week we will hear something."
