A stunned mother today demanded that thugs who tried to burn her son's hair with a lighter be caught and jailed.

The terrified eight-year-old victim was so disturbed by the assault that he has struggled to get to sleep since.

Four teenagers attacked the schoolboy as he made his way home after playing football in Swanmead Park, Vange.

The suspects were setting fire to a park rubbish bin when they spotted him. One gang member walked over, held him down and attempted to set his hair on fire.

Fortunately the screaming youngster managed to wriggle free as his hair was being set alight, and he fled.

The mother, who asked not to be named, told how her son had been mentally scarred by last Thursday's attack.

She said: "When you are eight years old you can't handle things like this."

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