A teenage boy was threatened with a knife and attacked by a gang of thugs at Parklife festival.
The 17-year-old - who does not wish to be named - said he was set upon by around five or six males as he was leaving the Heaton Park site on Sunday night (June 12). The gang punched him and hit him around the head with a gas canister, he said.
He said one of the males then pointed a knife to his chest and threatened to stab him if he would not hand over his Gucci hat, sunglasses and man bag. The teen, from Moston, had to go to hospital after the brutal attack and has been left with two broken ribs, a black eye and bruising on his head.
READ MORE: Police make 30 arrests on second day of Parklife - full list of offences
His mum spoke to the Manchester Evening News about what happened and said her son has been left 'terrified'. The attack has been reported to Greater Manchester Police.
The incident happened just before 10pm on Sunday night, she said. Her son told her how the group of males approached him as he walked through the festival grounds towards the exit.
"We had arranged to pick him up at 10pm that night, his sister was going to get him from Sainsbury's near Heaton Park", the victim's mum told the M.E.N . "At about 9.50pm my daughter rang me and was crying and asked if I'd heard from him.
"She said he had been attacked. I was trying to ring him but couldn't get through because of the bad signal.
"He had been split up from most of his mates but he and his friend were coming out to meet his sister. They were still inside Parklife and they were walking out, he said it can take about an hour to get out because so many people are leaving.
"He had a Gucci man bag, Gucci hat and Gucci sunglasses. These lads came up to him, he said there was about five or six, then this one came up and said 'I want your f*****g hat'.
"He said 'you can have my hat' then they said 'I want your sunglasses' and he just told them to 'f*** off'. Then one of them punched him and smashed the glasses.
"His friend was trying to help but another lad came from behind, then a lad came in front of him with a knife and said 'give me your f*****g bag, there's no CCTV round here I'll stab you'."
The victim's mum said her son was then hit around the head with a gas cannister. She said his friend ran to a member of security to ask for help, but that they had to make their own way out and find a police officer.
Once he managed to get up from the floor, the teen left the festival and spoke with a police officer outside. He gave a short statement and was picked up by his family before being taken to hospital.
"His face is a mess. When he had left the police and got home he was absolutely heartbroken, he was terrified", his mum said.
"He is really shook up. We went to hospital at about 11.30pm. He had a CT scan and they gave him a check and said they see bruising but it is not internal, there is bruising on the back of his head and on his eye. He has a couple of broken ribs and his left eye is all swollen. We've just got to keep an eye on him now."
The victim's mum said her son is a 'sensible lad' who had been to Parklife on Saturday and had no problems. She hopes that by sharing what happened to her son, that people will be deterred from carrying knives.
A GMP spokesperson said: "Police have received a report of a robbery and assault which took place in Heaton Park at around 10.30pm on Sunday 12 June 2022. The male victim reports that he was approached by a group of males before having clothing stolen from him and being struck over the head with what is believed to have been a gas cannister.
"An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log number 52 of the 13 th June 2022."
Police said 30 people were arrested at the festival on Sunday. Three of these arrests were for weapon offences, with one person arrested for possession of an offensive weapon and two arrested for possessing a blade article.
On Saturday, a 34-year-old man was detained for trying to get into the festival with a huge blade. The majority of the 56 arrests made over the full weekend were for drug offences.
The Manchester Evening News has also contacted a representative for Parklife for a comment.
