Teenager hospitalised after gang attack

A group of teenagers viciously attacked a boy as he walked to his grandmother's house in Middleton.

The 16-year-old was left with ruptured ligaments to his left leg, a broken right hand and severe cuts and bruising to his face and body following the assault on the Langley estate.

The boy was walking along Lakeland Court at about 10pm on Friday 30 January when a group of boys approached him.

The boys told him that he had better get out of the area and chased him down Mosedale Road, along Gale Road, onto Newton Crescent and Stainton Drive.

They hit him on the back of the head and the boy fell to the ground.

While he was on the floor two of the boys began repeatedly punching and kicking the 16-year-old.

They only stopped when a nearby resident shouted at them and they ran off.

The victim was left bleeding and badly injured after the attack and was taken to hospital.

Two of the offenders are described as white, aged in their mid to late teens, and between 5ft 6 and 5ft 8in tall. One was tall and of medium build, and both were both wearing dark coloured hooded tops.

Detective Constable Charlie Stewart from Rochdale CID said: "This was a particularly vicious and wholly unprovoked attack that has left this lad badly injured. We need to speak to anyone who thinks they might have seen this group of lads walking around the estate that night, or who knows anything about this offence, as we are determined to catch the people responsible."

Anyone with any information about this attack is asked to contact Rochdale CID on 0161 856 1977 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.