A HAMPSHIRE boy has described the moment his jaw was broken when he was kicked in the face by a teenager as he played football in the park.

Lemar Young, 12, recalled being on his hands and knees coughing up blood and a friend carrying him away after the vicious attack.

Lemar has had three metal plates put into his jaw in an operation at Southampton General Hospital after being assaulted by the youth while he lay helpless on the ground.

The schoolboy has said he still isn’t over the shock of it after his attacker, believed to be 15, left him unconscious.

Police have launched an investigation into the “unprovoked” attack which happened at around 8pm on Thursday night last week on the football pitch at Riverside Park, Southampton.

Lemar, a year 7 pupil at Bitterne Park School, said he had gone to the park near his home in Midanbury to play football with his friends.

When they got there, there was another group of boys including one around 15, another around 10 and two around 6 who were with their dad.

Lemar said: “It just felt like they were looking for a fight as soon as we got there. They were acting aggressively towards us kicking our ball back to us really hard or kicking it far away so we had to run to get it and there was just this tension that something bad was going to happen if we stayed there.”

The Townhill Lingland footballer added: “When it started to get dark I said we should go home and they were still being aggressive with us, but their ball came over to where we were so I kicked it away and I slid to get our ball on the floor.

“Next thing I knew he kicked me on my back then on my face and the only thing I remember is being on my hands and knees spitting up blood and my friend carrying me away. He kicked me on the left side of my face and that knocked me out for a bit.”

Lemar’s friend then carried him to his house where they called both of their parents.

Lemar added: “I couldn’t feel any pain at the start, that came later. It felt like I was targeted. My friend said after the boy kicked me they just walked away towards the car park.

“I was just shocked. I just can’t get my head around it. They didn’t seem to care at all.”

Lemar was taken to hospital and mum Stephanie Springall, 38, said he had blood pouring out of his mouth.

She said: “I was at home with my daughter but I just had this instinct that something was wrong.

“His friend phoned me. I was horrified my boy had been beaten up. Lemar is so well behaved, honestly I couldn’t ask for a better behaved child. He is polite, kind and thoughtful but with this he couldn’t protect himself because it was so unexpected. I don’t understand why they picked on him.

“We’re just trying to get witnesses to come forward. The police have been fantastic and his two friends were brilliant. I’m really angry and livid. Lemar has been so brave, he has just soldiered through. I’m very proud of him, I can’t imagine how he feels right now.”

Last night police were still hunting for Lemar’s attacker.

He is believed to be white, around 14 or 15, skinny, with a few spots and bushy or curly hazel-coloured hair, black framed glasses. He spoke with a European accent.

He was wearing a black Cabrini jumper, black shorts and Adidas orange and black football boots with studs.

He was thought to be in the company of a group of four or five other boys – aged seven to ten, one of whom was ginger-haired.

Police are want to speak to a man who was with them. He is described as white, about 40, of stocky build and not much taller than the boys, with black curly hair and wearing a black Saints football jumper. He is also described as speaking with a European accent.

Detective Constable Claire Ratcliffe said: “This young boy was playing with friends, like a lot children in the area do, when he was subjected to a unprovoked attack. We believe there were several witnesses to this incident and I am therefore appealing directly to them and the adult man described to come forward and make contact with us.

“Furthermore, if this is you described, please assist us with this investigation by making contact with us.”

Anyone with any information should contact police on 101 quoting reference 44160133027 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.