A Scottish schoolboy was left with a gaping head wound after he was attacked in a play park by an older teenage boy.
Colleen Rae has spoken out after her son Larry, seven, was violently attacked near his home in Ferryden, Montrose, on Monday. Colleen says her son was set upon by a teenage boy and fears what type of adult violent youths will become.
The thug reportedly smashed Larry's head against a metal railing, splitting his scalp open and causing it to pour with blood. Larry was later rushed to hospital to have the wound glued shut by doctors.
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Speaking to the Record about the terrifying ordeal, Colleen says Larry has been left traumatised by the attack and is scared to go out or walk to school on his own.
She said: "His older brother Fletcher, who is only eight, ran home screaming. He was hysterical because he had witnessed it.
"This is happening so much all over Montrose now. There are children around here scared to go to school because of this behaviour."
Colleen, who owns a bridal hair and unisex hairdressing salon in the Angus town, said the boy who attacked Larry is a pupil at the nearby Montrose Academy and that 'out of control' youths are running riot in the area.
She continued: "It's happening all the time at the Academy - kids beating up other kids. The children are out of control. I fear for what these youths will become as adults."
Local councillor Tommy Stewart said he was "shocked and disappointed" by the attack on Larry and called for more to be done to prevent youth violence.
He said: "More prevention work needs to take place around incidents like this. There needs to be more education about consequences, empathy, and respect.
"I stand with the Record's Our Kids ... Our Future campaign. The Scottish Government should be taking these incidents very seriously and doing its utmost to prevent them from happening in the first place."
Police Scotland confirmed they are looking into the attack. A spokesperson said: "We received a report that a 7-year-old boy had been assaulted at Ferryden Park, Montrose on Monday, April 24."The boy attended Ninewells Hospital for treatment. Officers are following a positive line of enquiry."
Speaking on behalf of Montrose Academy, an Angus Council spokesperson said: "We are aware that Police Scotland is investigating an incident in the Ferryden area in which a child was injured and are offering any relevant assistance to those police inquiries."
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