A woman has been arrested after a child was reportedly “knocked unconscious” in a town centre attack.

Police were called to the scene in Mortimer Street, Herne Bay, at about 7.45pm on Monday evening.

A spokesman confirmed officers had received reports that a number of people, including a child, had been assaulted.

Witnesses told the Gazette the victim was a 12-year-old boy.

A mother whose son tended to him after the attack close to the junction with Beach Street said he had been eating ice cream prior to the incident.

She said: “The lady attacked several people and then knocked the 12-year-old off his bike.

“He was just eating an ice cream. My son said he was unconscious for a minute.

“My son spoke to the boy and looked after him until an ambulance came and he was taken to hospital.”

A 33-year-old woman, of no fixed abode, was later apprehended on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

She has since been bailed pending further investigations.

The mother, who asked not to be named, said the victim was left shaken by the ordeal.

“He was having a major panic attack for more than 45 minutes,” she added.

In a separate incident, two people were detained by police after a fight broke out at the Texaco petrol station in the High Street at about 9pm on Saturday night.

Officers had received reports that the altercation, which involved three people, had taken place after an attempt had been made to steal items from the shop.

A 40-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both from Herne Bay, were arrested later that night in connection with the incident and subsequently released from custody pending further enquiries. No injuries were reported.

The incidents follow a spate of violence in the town centre in recent weeks.

Cllr Andrew Cook believes the amount of crime in Herne Bay is on the rise.

“I don’t know why it’s suddenly blossomed recently, but it appears to have increased,” he said.

He said: “It’s possible that we haven’t got enough CCTV and police over here, and we need to have more.

“We think we’ve got more police resources coming, but we’ll have to wait for that to materialise.

“This issue will obviously be a priority to whoever gets voted in in May.”

A gang of yobs attacked a 42-year-old funeral director in Sea Street as he made his way home from a function three weeks ago.

On March 29, a 24-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after he was stabbed in Station Chine.

A source close to the family said the blade had punctured his lung and narrowly missed his heart.

The day after the stabbing, a 20-year-old man suffered severe head injuries in a late-night attack in the High Street.

Anyone with information about the attack on Monday should call 01843 222289 or to contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Read more: All the latest news from Herne Bay.