Police in Ballymena are investigating a report of an assault on two teenage boys in the North Road area of the town and have appealed for witnesses or anyone who may have dashcam footage to get in touch.
According to Frances McAuley, mum of 13-year-old Rylyn and 14-year-old Brackyn, she dropped her sons off near Waveney Avenue in the town shortly before 1.30pm on Monday afternoon, 3 April.
Frances explained:
"I dropped my boys off to pop around to buy a tube for their bike at a local store. As they walked out of the alley near the exit of the Pentagon Retail Park, two men came along and one of them banged into one of my sons, and my son looked at him.
"The two men then started to shout in their language and began to attack them.
"My younger son was left with a bruised face. My other son got mostly kicked leaving him with a mark on his neck and sore around his ribs area".
One woman who was driving past the scene of the incident sounded her horn at the perpetrators before stopping but the men continued. Another driver then stopped at the scene and he intervened, managing to stop the two.
The two men are reported to have left the scene before being joined by several others and were seen walking up Bridge Street toward the town centre.
The angry mum said both of her boys are still "shook up" following the attack.
A police spokesperson commented on the incident saying:
"It was reported to police on Monday, 3rd April that two teenage boys had been assaulted in the area by two unknown men.
"The two boys sustained minor injuries as a result of the assault. Our investigation is underway to determine what happened, as well as a motive and who was involved.
"We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw any suspicious activity, or has mobile footage that could help our investigation, to call police on 101, quoting reference number 1264 of 03/04/23.
"Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/"