TEENAGER Drew Long was left was internal injuries after he was beaten up by a gang of youngsters.

Drew, 14, was left with a bruised liver and ribs, dislocated knee, damaged leg muscles, broken nose and cuts and bruises to his head and back.

The group of eight to ten boys and girls, aged 13 to 16, set upon him in Monkton Park, Chippenham, at 7.30pm on Friday as he left the Olympiad with a friend after going swimming.

His 14-year-old friend, who does not want to be named, was held back and made to watch as Drew was assaulted.

When the youths had finished kicking Drew, leaving him unable to see out of one eye, they poured a can of beer over him.

Drew was so frightened by the attack he is now worried about leaving his Chippenham home, where he lives with his parents Sally Ann and Nick Long.

Police say several people have been arrested and are urging others to give themselves up to save themselves from getting into further trouble.

Drew said a girl had started shouting abuse at his friend and grabbed him when he shouted back at her.

As the two friends walked down towards Monkton Park, a group of five or six girls started hurling glass bottles at them and Drew's friend called the police on his mobile phone. "The girls ran into the play park and got a group of boys. They surrounded me and started kicking me in the head," said Drew. "I tried to cover myself up but I was getting punched and kicked in the back."

He was then chased by one of the girls as he ran up the steps from the park to the leisure centre when he collapsed and was taken inside by a member of staff who administered first aid.

Drew spent three days in Bath's Royal United Hospital and has been told to stay off school for two weeks.

Mrs Long, 36, said: "I am very angry. I'd like to get hold of them and do the same to them but you can't do that."