An Ipswich father has told how his son feared his nose had been broken in a road rage attack which left him bloodied and battered.

Police are now appealing for information as they hunt for the van driver who attacked the youngster and then walked away after the 14-year-old cowered against a wall pleading with him to stop.

The boy is said to have taken the full force of a butt to his nose during the incident at the junction of Cromer Road and Bramford Lane at around 5.25pm last Thursday.

The youngster’s father, who asked for his son not to be identified, said the boy was crossing the road between two stationary vehicles which were waiting for traffic to pass by.

As he did so the first vehicle pulled away and the driver of the second - the van - is said to have revved his engine and shunted forwards towards the teenager almost hitting him.

The boy’s dad said his son threw his hands up in exasperation which seemed to further antagonise the driver, who stopped his van in Eustace Road and got out.

The youngster told his father the man approached him and was quite aggressive, swearing at him.

The father said: “My son is adamant he didn’t swear at the man. He just threw his hands up.

“The gentleman has leant forward and headbutted him, full force, across the bridge of the nose. My son has cowered against a wall and covered his face.

“My son has shouted ‘I’m only 14 - please, don’t’.”

The attacker is then said to have turned and walked back to his vehicle before driving off.

The injured teenager was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose. However, staff believe it was not broken, just swollen and bruised.

The boy’s assailant is described as a white male, with ginger hair, in his late 20s to early 30s, over 6ft tall, and of medium build. He had a beard, dark hoodie, grey tracksuit bottoms and was driving small black van, with white writing on the side and a ladder on the roof.

Police are asking for the public’s help in tracing the van driver.

Anne-Marie Breach, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary, said: “We would ask anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information about who the van driver was to contact us.”

If you can help the police inquiry telephone 101 and quote crime reference number 10950/17 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.