A father fears his child may need facial surgery after hooded thugs attacked the boy outside a sports centre in the early evening.

Joly Antony says his 15-year-old was badly beaten after leaving the Stour Centre in Ashford on Monday evening (December 2).

"He had just come out of the centre when four people wearing hoods and masks approached him and asked him for money,” said Mr Antony, 47.

“But he doesn’t carry any money and then they suddenly started beating him up.”

Following an investigation, police arrested two teenagers in connection to the incident at the Tannery Lane site, they have since been bailed pending further enquiries.

The victim was left with a fracture to his right cheekbone and additional injuries to his back and shoulder.

But Mr Antony says the outcome could have been even worse had a Stour Centre staff member not serendipitously come outside, causing the assailants to flee.

“Luckily, one of the guys from the Stour Centre came outside to get something from his car and he saw that my son was being beaten up.

“As soon as he came out, those three men ran away.

“The doctors were afraid he may have internal bleeding and the scan at the hospital showed a fracture on his cheekbone that might need surgery - they have referred his case to a facial specialist.”

“My boy is in shock ever since it happened, he is in pain and can’t even sleep.”

A police spokesperson added: ”Kent Police received a report that a teenage boy had been assaulted outside a leisure centre on Tannery Lane in Ashford shortly before 5.45pm on Monday 2 December.

“It was reported that the victim had been approached by a group of people who attempted to make conversation with him, before an assault took place in which the victim sustained facial injuries.

“Officers attended and after carrying out initial enquiries, a 17 year old boy and a 14 year old boy were arrested in connection with the incident at a nearby location a short while later. They have since been bailed pending further enquiries.”

An investigation is ongoing and anyone with relevant information is urged to contact Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/204560/24.