Support for bash victim

Azaleas Quenton, 12, from Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

The family of a 12-year-old Hastings boy, who was beaten by five teenagers on his way home from school, have found some comfort in a groundswell of support from the community.

Azaleas Quenton was walking his bike through Akina Park on Friday, when he was hit in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the ground where the alleged assailants, three girls and two boys, kicked and stomped on him repeatedly.

He will have to return to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up on his injuries.

Hundreds of people have shared a Facebook photo and post featuring details of the attack, urging anyone who might have seen or know something to come forward.

"It's been huge the amount of support, people giving him things, it's been amazing," his grandmother Helen Irving said.

Hawke's Bay Today also received phone calls from readers offering their sympathies and wanting to know how they could help.

Mrs Irving said the family's wish was that people in the community would take more effort to look out for young people.

"We are just hoping this will turn around and get people thinking that they will do something if they see kids onthe street, if it changes that and people keep an eye out for what's taking place, it's a good thing."

Azaleas' school, Hastings Intermediate, sent a newsletter to parents informing them of the incident, while the principals of Karamu High School and Hastings Boys' High School met to discuss how they could tackle the issue.

Hastings Intermediate principal Andrew Shortcliffe said a group of staff and students had also visited Azaleas at home yesterday, to help his transition back into school life.

"It was quite a significant thing to go through, you can't just walk back into school and pretend nothing happened."

A special assembly praised the actions of six intermediate students who helped Azaleas when they found him bloodied and bruised in Queens Square.