Mass brawl breaks out at funfair as girl assaulted and teen arrested
Fighting broke out at a funfair at Fair Green in Diss. Picture: Getty - Credit: Getty Images
A mass brawl broke out at a family funfair in Diss leaving bystanders trying to intervene to protect victims being attacked while a teenage girl is alleged to have been assaulted.
Fair Green in Diss where the family funfair was held over the weekend. Picture: Simon Parkin - Credit: Simon Parkin
Witnesses described how violence broke out between a gang of teenagers as they left the final night of the three-day event being held at Fair Green, close to the town centre, on Saturday, September 7.
The Larry Gray & Sons travelling fair had been billed as "the last time this year come and have some fun with us and make some memories" but trouble erupted in the car park on the edge of the historic green.
One man, who was at the fair with his partner and two young daughters, said he had been forced to step in after seeing a large group of young people start to run towards the car park near the Angel Café.
Fair Green in Diss hosted the funfair for three days. Picture: Larry Gray & Sons - Credit: Larry Gray & Sons
The man, who preferred not to be named, said: "When I got to the crowd a young guy, probably aged about 15 or 16, was being punched repeatedly.
"I shouted 'stop it', and the lad that was being punched was being held up by a girl and they started to move through the crowd.
"Then about three or four more lads started punching him again and jumping up over the girls trying to hit him on the back of the head.
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"I got into the middle of it and shouted 'stop it' again and I grabbed the lad that was being attacked and put both my arms round him and his head to protect him."
Police were called to reports of the fight shortly after 8.30pm and investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the violence. Despite reports of a male being the victim of attacks officers are looking into an assault on a teenage girl.
A spokesman said: "It's alleged a teenage girl was assaulted and was taken to hospital to be checked over.
"A teenage boy was arrested in connection with the incident and has since been released under investigation whilst enquiries are ongoing."
The eyewitness, who called an ambulance while others called the police, said he had intervened again while waiting for police to arrive.
"I was worried that someone else was also getting attacked," he said. "The lad that had been attacked was covered in blood all over his face, nose and lips. He had three girls with him that were very upset and scared."
