A mum said she is "proud to be scouse" after an outpouring of support from the city when a video emerged of her son being bullied.
The mum shared a video with the ECHO of her 11-year-old son being attacked while he was playing football in Adlam Park, Fazakerley, with his friends on Sunday, May 2 at around 5pm. His devastated mum, 31, who asked that she and her son were not named, described how he was grabbed by the neck and kicked in the head by a boy who approached him despite, she claimed, telling him he "just wanted to have a game of football".
Video footage of part of the attack shows the 11-year-old being held to the floor by his neck as he's kicked in the head by another boy. In the footage, which The ECHO has chosen to mute, you hear one of the boys say "I'll stab your da in the neck you fat c***".
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The boy's mum said: "My son was scared to tell me. His mates knocked on Wednesday, May 3 to show me the video as I was unaware. I asked my son where all his bruising had come from and he said playing football.
"Now I know it's because he's been used as a punch bag for this gang of kids. My son's not wanting to fight at all, he doesn't stand a chance as these kids clearly have experience in martial arts, kickboxing, boxing.
"My son isn't a fighter, he hasn't been brought up that way. He's a lovely, caring boy. He has his moments like all other children but he didn't deserve what happened to him. It's just bullying at its finest."
The mum explained her son and the boy who was pinning him down in the first video know each other and have previously argued over "silly things" which the mum said was dealt with by the school they attend.
Since the incident the mum said her son has "a lump on the side of his head" and she had "noticed a change" in his behaviour. She took her son to Alder Hey Children's Hospital to be checked over.
She told The ECHO: "My son was checked over on Thursday. We spent a few hours there and I noticed a change in him myself. I kept asking if he was OK. I just felt something wasn't right with him.
"He didn't want his mates to show me as he knew it would upset me and make me angry. I've physically broken down watching it. [I had a] sudden rush of anger, how dare someone treat my boy like that?
"He's covered in bruising from his arms to his legs from where he's been repeatedly kicked and punched, got a lump on the side of his head from the kick and it's sore to touch the area. He's complaining he's tired a lot, he's not sleeping properly because of it all and he's scared to go the parks alone.
"He's been referred for counselling as its having a massive affect on his mental health. I'm glad I'm aware of it now so it can be stopped.
"They just want to be kids and play like we did when we were their age."
Merseyside Police and the boy's school are understood to be looking in to the reported assault. Following an initial article being published on The ECHO, the mum wanted to reach out the the members of the public who have messaged her to ask how her son is doing.
She said: "I just want to thank everyone in the community for their support and kindness, and putting things together for my son after his horrific time of bullying. We're so grateful and absolutely touched by all their support.
"I couldn't be any more proud of this city, we stick together when we need to. I'm proud to be Scouse I just want everyone to know we appreciate them all for what they've done and we can't thank them enough.
"Hopefully this sends out a message that we do not stand for bullies in our city and we don't tolerate threats with knives or knife crime at all."
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