Ruth Sullivan, of Layton, has hit out after the group of about eight children attacked her daughter Emma – dragging her off her bike, punching her, kicking her and using pens to stab at her.

Mrs Sullivan said Emma, a pupil at Boundary Primary, was playing on her own at the time of the incident, which took place close to their Leaford Avenue home.

The gang –- all aged between nine and 15 – took Emma's bike off her but it was later found by another resident who returned it to the Sullivans.

Mrs Sullivan said: "It was horrible, I don't let her play out much because of the local area and I know what some of the children are like.

"I have already had to move Emma from her previous school because of bullying and she is quite small for her age.

"But she had just got a new bike, so I let her go out and play on it. But after a while I heard her screaming and went out to see some of the older children, the teenagers, holding her down with her hands behind her back throwing boots at her.

"She has been really jumpy ever since.

"She's got grazes from where they swung her round, marks on her ribs from where they jabbed her with pens and bruises on her legs.

"I can't believe it, it just seems like they are getting more and more violent these youngsters. I want other parents to be aware.

"I think the police might struggle to do anything about it as the youngsters all cover for each other and concoct various different stories.

"But it just seems like such a horrible thing to do."

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police confirmed the incident had been reported to them.

She said: "This incident has been logged as a crime and we can confirm we are investigating."