Police officer bitten in vicious mob attack... after asking girl to pick up a piece of litter

Two policemen were attacked by a 30-strong mob including schoolchildren after asking a 15-year-old to pick up her litter.

They were bitten, punched and kicked and had to call for back-up to escape serious injury.

Witnesses to the attack, on a busy shopping street in Croydon, South London, feared that the uniformed officers would be beaten to death.

Croydon, south London: Two officers were set on by a mob, some wearing school uniform, after they asked a teenage girl to pick up a wrapper

Yesterday one of the officers who came in as back up said the youths  -  some in school uniform  -  had acted 'worse than animals' as they 'swarmed' over the pair during Wednesday afternoon's attack.

The unnamed officer said: 'It was a horrible teenage girl who didn't like being told what to do.

'She threw litter on the floor. The officers told her to pick it up, she picked it up and when she walked away she threw it at them.

'They were going to talk to her, to take her to one side because she was showing off to all her friends.

'But one colleague got pulled to the ground by a group of young males.

'They started kicking him. The other had a girl on his back biting him. The officers had to call for urgent assistance because they were fearing for their lives.'

He went on: 'They swarmed at the start. 'They were acting like animals, but I hate using the term "animals" because they would not do that  -  animals have a reason for doing something.'

Trouble spot: Shopkeepers said they were horrified at the level of violence used against the officers

Yesterday the officer said an attack was not unusual, saying that he is regularly abused by young people, who cite their 'human rights' when threatened with arrest.

He added: 'We can't do anything without fear of being sued. You grab somebody and stop them and the first thing you hear is, "You can't touch me  -  that's assault". We get that a lot.

'It makes you depressed at the state of children today  -  the lack of respect not just for police but also for older people.

'They keep going on about respect but then they tell people: "I'm going to **** you up". It is dreadful.'

A teenage girl was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and has since been released on bail.

The officer said that when the girl's parents came to the police station to collect her, they complained that the start of their summer holiday had been disrupted.

The 34-year-old PC escaped with relatively minor cuts and bruising. His 29-year-old colleague suffered bruising and knee injuries. Both are on sick leave.

Two men aged 34 and 38 have been arrested on suspicion of assault and violent disorder.

Detectives are checking CCTV footage to identify everyone involved.

They believe five young women were involved at the start of the attack, who were joined by older men and women.

No comments are permitted on this story as legal proceedings are underway