CHILDREN AS young as 11 taunted a man during a vicious late-night attack, police revealed last night.

A 58-year-old man was left with bruising around his eyes after being beaten-up by four youngsters— two girls and two boys—in Fraserburgh. His spectacles were also broken in the incident in the town’s Albert Street.

The assault happened less than a fortnight after police launched a crackdown on local vandalism with the slogan, “Where’s your child tonight?”

The attack was described as “shocking and worrying” by a local councillor.

A police officer investigating the attack said yesterday, “From what the victim has been able to tell us about the ages of the children involved, it was quite late for some of them to still be out and about.

“This was a very unusual attack and completely unprovoked. The victim was not seriously injured but he was left very shaken.”

It is understood the man was on his way to a cash machine when one youth approached him and hit him in the face. Another may have struck him on the back of the head.

As he struggled with his attackers, one told him, “I’m only 13.” The gang, all aged 11-15, ran off after the assault. One lad was about 5ft 9in and had short, spiked hair dyed blonde. He was wearing a light-coloured jacket.

The other was about 5ft 10in with short brown hair and wearing a dark T-shirt.

One of the girls was about 5ft 6in and had shoulder-length hair with light streaks through it. She was wearing a light-coloured cardigan and jeans.

The other girl was about 5ft 6in and had shoulder-length black hair. She was wearing a black jacket, a blue top and jeans.

Fraserburgh and District councillor Ian Tait organised a public meeting recently to give people a platform to voice their concerns about crime in the town. Locals claimed vandalism and antisocial behaviour were on the increase and called for more bobbies on the beat.

Grampian Chief Constable Colin McKerracher has agreed to visit Fraserburgh to hear residents’ concerns at first hand and discuss the way the area is policed.

Mr Tait said, “It is clear the police need more resources. We already have a problem with mindless vandalism, I dread to think we’ve now reached the stage of mindless violence.”

A police spokesman said, “We are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen a group of youths between 10pm and midnight.”