POLICE are hunting a man who attacked and racially abused a 12-year-old boy on a footpath in Redditch last night.

The boy was running on a path beside a stream off Needle Mill Lane on Thursday, May 19 at about 7pm when he was approached by a man near a footbridge.

The man punched him, threw him to the floor and then kicked him. During the assault he racially abused his victim and tried to throw him into the stream.

The boy managed to break free and ran for help. He was taken by ambulance to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch with cuts and bruising.

The offender was a white man described as around 30-years-old, of thin build with black, shoulder-length hair. He was wearing a grey sweat top and blue jeans.

PC Paul Lettis said: “This was a nasty and totally unprovoked attack by a stranger on a boy who was taking part in an organised run. We are carrying out inquiries in a bid to trace the offender and it is vital we hear from anyone who may have seen a man of this description in that area either before or after the incident.

“The smallest detail could be important to our investigation so if you saw or heard anything, or have any suspicion as to who might be responsible, then please get in touch.”

Witnesses or anyone with information should call police at Redditch on 0300 333 3000, quoting incident reference 603-S-190511, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.