‘Riot’ left youth lying unconscious on road

A youth has been hospitalised after what has been reported as a large-scale disturbance in East Kilbride.

The incident is said to have happened around 10pm on Friday night, near to the Owen Centre.

Reports on social media suggested“the young team running wild”with many suggesting that weapons were involved.

On a Facebook post about the incident that has received almost 200 comments, one person described what she saw.

She wrote:“I phoned the ambulance and the police.

“I stopped when I was driving past he was lying in the middle of the road unconscious. He was awake and talking when I left and went in the ambulance.

“Witnesses that seen it happen said 30 boys – about 16/17-years old – jumped him. Poor boy is only 14 and was only with one other boy same age – it’s absolutely shocking.”

A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed the incident.

He said:“We were made aware of a disturbance involving a number of people in the Owen Avenue area of East Kilbride around 10pm on Friday (May 21).

“One male youth was taken to Hairmyres Hospital for treatment following the incident and enquiries are ongoing.”

One source from the East Kilbride Facebook page said that tensions have been escalating in the area for weeks, with the latest incident reported as a“riot” locally.

Our contact told us:“The young team are pulling blades out on people.”

Suggestions from those online is that the situation has become so bad that parents are keeping their children off school.

One person said their child hadn’t been to school“in nine weeks,”with a peer replying that she had“had mine off for six months”.

Another person posted on Facebook: “This happened to a young boy last week some time on Telford Road.

“The video made me feel sick. I’m terrified for my boy growing up and going to high school.”

Other comments from those who witnessed the incident reported“big hard 14 and 15 years-old carrying blades,”and “no one should be attacking people with knives – this wouldn’t have happened back in our day”.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101.

Information can be left anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.