THESE are the horrific injuries which have forced a 14-year-old boy to seek urgent reconstructive surgery after a terrifying daytime attack in Ipswich.

THESE are the horrific injuries which have forced a 14-year-old boy to seek urgent reconstructive surgery after a terrifying daytime attack in Ipswich.

The teenager is today waiting to have metal plates inserted into his face after his cheekbone was shattered when he was knocked unconscious by a mindless thug.

The boy is too scared to leave his house where is recovering before tomorrow's operation, but he has bravely agreed to release pictures of his injuries.

His parents have also spoken of their disgust at the attack and raised concerns about the safety of children in the town centre.

His mother said: “I am in total shock. My son has not been able to eat properly for two days.

“My overwhelming feeling is anger that our children cannot just go into town without these sorts of things happening.”

The Ipswich boy, who does not wish to be named for fear of further attacks, was walking with a group of friends to an indie night at the Corn Exchange on Friday when two men shouted at them.

Although the teenagers did not respond, one of the men, who spoke with either an Irish or Liverpudlian accent, accused the boy of making a racist remark towards his friend before punching him.

The boy, who goes to school in Ipswich, said: “I was looking at them and then I was on the floor. I tried to get up but I couldn't. I didn't remember getting hit.”

One of his friends made a desperate call to the boy's father, who dashed to the scene near the library in Northgate Street within minutes.

The father made a frantic attempt to find the two men before rushing his son to Ipswich hospital.

The father said: “I couldn't believe what state he was in.

“He was distressed and sobbing and he couldn't talk. I thought there was something seriously wrong with him.”

Police are investigating a string of similar assaults in the town over recent weeks, but they are keen to highlight that cases of violent crime are falling.

Incidents of violence in September - which include robbery, sexual offences and assaults - have dropped 16 per cent from the same month last year.

Anyone with information about this crime should call Ipswich CID on 01473 613500 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Do you think your children are safe in Ipswich? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

THE boy's shocked parents today said their distress in the aftermath of their son's assault was made worse by a lacklustre response from the police.

They even accuse two community support officers of arriving at the scene and doing nothing about it.

After trying to track down the criminals himself then taking his son to hospital, the father was dismayed to find the incident hadn't even been logged when the family called police later in the evening.

The father said: “It is a disgrace that a teenager can get battered at tea time and nobody does anything about it.

“The town is full of 14-year-olds and you get this lunatic on the loose on the streets. It is unbelievable.”

A spokeswoman for Ipswich police said: “The parents have raised concerns about the service they received and this is being looked into.

“We would like to reassure the victim and his family that this incident is being treated very seriously and we will do all we can to bring those involved to justice.”