Girls nightmare in town park

Both 15-year-olds needed five stitches in wounds after a man hit them about the head with a heavy object in Tredegar Park, Newport, yesterday.

The attack happened around 1.30pm near the motorway, and police drafted in the force helicopter to search for the attacker.

The mother of one of the victims, who live in Newport but attend a school in Pontypool, has issued a plea for information about the man, who is described as being in his late 20s or early thirties with a blond 'skinhead' haircut and long sideburns.

The mum, who does not want to be named, said: "This man has to be caught. It is frightening that two girls can be the victims of a completely unprovoked attack in a park at lunch-time.

"He came up behind them and started lashing out with something in a carrier bag."

One of the girls went to the aid of her friend as she was attacked as they sat by the river. Their attacker fled on a bicycle.

The mother said: "Fortunately there were two of them but it is terrifying to think what he might have done if it was just one girl on her own. He has to be found before he attacks another child or vulnerable person."

"I just had a phone call in work saying my daughter was being taken to casualty in a police car. My daughter's wound was quite nasty and her friend's was worse."

The man may have been in the park for some time because the girls had spoken to him on two or three occasions earlier.

The teenagers are pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Pontypool but were in the park because they had missed the school bus that morning.

Detective constable Neil Hodgkinson, who is leading the hunt for the attacker, appealed for information.

He said: "We have a good description of this man. "He is about 5ft 7in tall with a blond 'skinhead' haircut and long sideburns. I would ask the public to be vigilant and to contact us with any information about him."

Anyone with information should contact PC Deborah White at Newport Central police station on 01633 244999.