A TEENAGE boy walking home from school was punched in the face “in a cowardly attack” as he crossed a North Yorkshire road with friends.

The 14-year-old was attacked at a pelican crossing in Thirsk market place between 4pm and 4.15pm on Thursday.

Police said a blue van stopped at the lights, that “words were exchanged between the male passenger in the van and the children crossing the road” and then the man got out and punched the 14-year-old boy twice in the face. The boy suffered swelling and bleeding to his nose and lip.

The van is described as possibly a transit. The offender is described as white, aged 17 to 23, and 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins tall. He had short cropped hair and was wearing a white and blue hooded top.

PC Peter Henderson of Thirsk police said: “This was a cowardly assault on a child which has understandably left him shaken up.”

He asked any witnesses to phone police on 101.