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Anfield homophobic attack: Children pulled knife on couple in Liverpool

Two men have been targeted in a homophobic attack by children as young as 12 in Liverpool, leaving one with serious head and neck injuries.

The men, both in their 30s, were walking down Manningham Road in the Anfield area at 9.20pm on Saturday when they were approached by three boys, police said.

The youths directed homophobic insults at them before one of them took out a knife and attacked the men.

One of the victims sustained serious injuries to his head and neck, though doctors have described them as non-life threatening, while the second sustained a minor hand injury.

Both were taken to hospital for treatment and were left shaken by the incident.

Police said the offenders were between 12 and 15, with one wearing a dark bubble coat and one riding a bike.

Detectives are urging any witnesses to come forward with any information, including CCTV or dashcam footage.

Detective Inspector Tara Denn described the incident as "an appalling and unprovoked attack on two men simply making their way home".

She said: "Two men have been left with significant injuries tonight and the hate and violence that has been inflicted on them is simply unacceptable and won't be tolerated on the streets of Merseyside."

The incident in Liverpool is the second homophobic attack in the UK in recent weeks.

On 30 May, Melania Geymonat, 28, from Uruguay, and her American girlfriend Chris were heading home on a night bus to Camden, north London, when a group of men started to make lewd comments and asked them to kiss.

The women were then attacked and punched several times before the assailants ran off the bus.

Five teenagers, aged 15 to 18, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm.

All five suspects have been bailed until July and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.