7:10am Friday 19th March 2010
By James Savage
A FAMILY living in a quiet Worcester suburb have been left fearing their safety after a group of 15 men armed with bats, bricks and glass bottles carried out a violent attack in the early hours.
Police were called to Cobden Avenue, Warndon Villages, yesterday after reports of large-scale disorder.
Several fights broke out in the street before officers got the situation under control.
As the group broke up, a chilling threat was made to throw a petrol bomb through the window “next time.”
Robert Cox, aged 19, who lives at the house with his parents, two older brothers and younger sister, said the group arrived at about 1am and starting hitting the cars parked on the drive.
Mr Cox believes he was targeted as a result of a domestic dispute.
Thousands of pounds of damage was caused to Mr Cox’s Renault Clio and his brother’s new Peugeot 207 GTI.
He said: “It was crazy, it is lucky no one was seriously injured or even killed.
“I don’t understand why all these people, who I don’t even know, have got involved. I didn’t recognise any of them.
"What are you supposed to do when 15 people turn up at your house and start smashing up the cars on your drive?”
Mr Cox, who is a plumber, said he confronted the gang with his dad and two brothers, and left two members of the group needing hospital treatment.
“I got smashed on the back of the head with a bottle, knocked to the floor then kicked a number of times. One of my brothers got hit with a bat,” he said.
“The police did a really good job at sorting everything out. They said they would stay in the area to make sure no one came back but at 3am some people came back and threw a brick at my dad’s car.
"They have threatened to come and smash the cars up again and said they will throw a petrol bomb through the window next time.
“My mum is terrified. We don’t want to leave her in the house on her own in case they come back.”
One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “The noise woke me and my wife up. It was like a riot.
"You really don’t expect this sort of thing to happen here. It is a quiet area.”
Another neighbour said they saw one of the men in the group holding a knife.
A police spokesman said officers stayed in the area for two hours after the incident.
She said: “We are continuing to interview those thought to be involved. Plans are in place for regular patrols throughout the night to reassure Mr Cox and other residents.”
The spokesman said they have already received a number of calls from the public about the incident but have urged other witnesses to call them on 0300 333 3000 quoting incident number 20/s/180310.
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 1.10am after reports of an assault. An ambulance and a rapid response vehicle were sent.
"There was initially two patients but one said they would make their own way to Worcestershire Royal Hospital. The other was taken by ambulance.”
• It is understood that arrests were made this morning in connection with this incident.
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