THE mother of teenage boy who was attacked outside a railway station says she is worried about an increase in crime.

William Berry had just got off a train at Letchworth GC when he was approached by two older youths who tried to provoke him.

The 16-year-old, who was with two female friends at the time, was then punched in the face and dragged down an alleyway near to the Dragon King Chinese restaurant in Station Road.

William managed to escape and ran up some stairs leading to a block of flats where an elderly couple let him in and called the police.

He had been about to return to his older brother’s house in Willian Way after visiting his girlfriend in Hitchin for the weekend when the assault occurred at about 10pm on Saturday, September 22.

The incident follows another attack in Station Way two weeks before when two women suffered injuries after being punched and kicked by a man.

William’s mother Claire said the increase in crime played its part in the family’s decision to move to Devon six weeks ago after many years in the town.

“I just don’t know what’s going on there and it’s one of the reasons we’ve left Letchworth,” she said.

“It’s changed in the last few years. The police say its quite rare but it’s not that unusual and it seems to be happening all the time now. We got burgled a year ago and bikes and quad bikes were stolen and they even came back again.”

Claire added that William’s friend was also threatened by two men this week but a group of friends came to his aid.

“I’ve got no idea what their intentions were and god knows what they would’ve done in the alley if he hadn’t got away,” she said.

“A taxi driver saw what happened but drove off. I don’t know what’s going on with the world.”

Police have issued descriptions of the two attackers. One is described as black and was wearing a blue jacket at the time while the other is Asian and was wearing a black top and a black cap during the incident. Both are believed to be about 19-years-old.