POLICE will study CCTV footage from the Recreation Ground following claims that an eleven year old boy was physically attacked by a woman, at the skate park.

The boy's concerned grandfather claimed the women, who was thought to be in her twenties or thirties, hit the child "ten times in his face and chest" following a dispute between the boy and younger children on bikes.

The woman alleged to have assaulted his grandson is believed to have been the mother of at least one of the children riding bikes.

The Reporter has been told the eleven year old boy raised objections to the presence of the children riding bikes, because he was trying to skateboard at the time, using the ramps, and he thought they were getting in his way.

The grandfather, who cannot be named, said of the alleged attack by the woman: "Even if an eleven year has been giving you abuse, you can't go about punching him."

But he added that he did not believe his grandson had been abusive.

Police say the boy did not sustain any visible injuries.

But he was reported to have been "traumatised" following the incident.

A police spokesman said: "We were called at 11.48pm on Tuesday May 14 to a report of an assault at the recreation ground on Lawnside Road, Ledbury. It's reported that between 4.45pm and 5.30pm, an 11 year old boy was assaulted by a woman by the skate park.

"Enquiries are ongoing and CCTV has been requested as part of the investigation."

But a row has brewed up over the CCTV footage, because the grandfather was wrongly advised by Ledbury Town Council staff to contact Hereford control centre, in a bid to locate footage of the alleged assault.

In fact, the CCTV on the Recreation Ground is owned by Ledbury Town Council and the recordings are held at the Community Centre; but more than one week after the alleged assault, the footage is still to be viewed.

For former town councillor, Tony Bradford, the wrong advice initially given by the town council is evidence that a depth of knowledge is currently lacking with the present administration.

In recent times there have been multiple resignations, both among staff and councillors.

Mr Bradford, who stood down himself from the town council in May, said: "This shows a lack of continuity for Ledbury Town Council. I'm lost for words. Even I didn't expect this.

"I have given the mayor a piece of my mind. The town council has a duty of care for children who play at the Recreation Ground, but now we have had a situation where the town council has wrongly directed a desperate man to Hereford."

Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Phillip Howells said: "The town council has CCTV coverage around that site so the incident will hopefully have been captured as being within the coverage area, although this is yet to be confirmed. Once it was established that the CCTV was the town council’s and we had confirmed that it was housed in the Community Centre, the enquirer was informed."

But Cllr Howells stressed that, in any case, only the police could view the footage.

He said: "At this point the Ledbury police have not been involved in attempting to capture the footage because it was believed all was in hand. However, once the situation was realised, I contacted the police in an attempt to progress the matter.

"Following discussions by myself and the town clerk with the police and caretaker at the Community Centre, it was confirmed that a PCSO will liaise with the caretaker to go in to the centre at an appointed to review and save any coverage found."