Sectarian motive explored in assault on teenage boy

Police in Londonderry say they are working to establish if an assault on a teenage boy in the Waterside area of the city was sectarian.

It happened in the Nelson Drive area at about 19:00 BST on Thursday evening.

A black Volkswagen Golf approached the teenager before two men got out of the car and allegedly assaulted him.

He sustained injuries to his face before the attackers made off from the scene, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said.

"Enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances of what happened, who was involved, and a motive, including whether or not this was a sectarian-motivated attack," the spokesman added.

Writing on social media, Foyle assembly member Julie Middleton, from the Democratic Unionist Party, condemned the attack.

"You can only imagine the trauma this has brought to the family. I would ask that we all send a clear message of support to this young man and to the family," she said.

Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the assault or who has dashcam or mobile phone footage to come forward.