A nine-year-old boy was punched in the face in Moordown in what police believe was a racially aggravated assault.

At around 6pm on Saturday 24 April a local woman aged in her 50s visited Moordown Recreation Ground on Malvern Road with her three young children aged between four and nine.

While at the park, the women saw three boys and a girl enter behaving in a loud and abusive manner.

When the woman and her children left the park at around 8.30pm the group became racially abusive toward them and followed them to their car, which was parked on Enfield Road. As they reached their car, one of the boys punched the nine-year-old boy, causing bruising and a cut to his lip. The offenders then ran away.

The boy who committed the assault is described as being aged around 16, white, approximately five feet four inches tall and of skinny build with blond hair. He was wearing a navy-coloured hooded top and navy tracksuit bottoms.

The second boy is described as aged around 13, white and of large build with blond hair. He wore a blue T-shirt and grey jogging bottoms. The third boy is described as also being aged around 13 and of large build with blond hair. The girl is described as white, 13, with long blonde hair and wore a black jacket and a green skirt.

Police Constable Justyna Nicholas, of Bournemouth police, said: “This was an unpleasant incident for the victim and her children and I am very keen to identify the individuals involved. We take incidents such as this extremely seriously.

“I would urge any witnesses, or anyone who knows who these individuals are, to please contact Dorset Police.

“I am aware that there was another man in the park with his children at the time of the incident, as well as a second man who may have possibly recorded the incident while walking his dogs, and I would like to directly appeal to these two people to please get in touch with me.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210063555. Alternatively, to stay 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111.