AN angry mother is appealing for information after her teenage son and his dog were attacked in daylight.

Harry Davies, 17, was strolling along Dovercourt promenade at around 11.45am last Wednesday with family pet Betsy.

A passing cyclist stopped beside the pair and without warning kicked out at the small animal.

When Harry, of Alexandra Road, shouted out in defence of his stricken pet, the thug punched him in the face.

Anna Davies, Harry’s mother, said: “A man cycled past and our tiny puppy trotted alongside his bike.

“He stopped and kicked her so hard she yelped and travelled a distance, as she’s just a tiny little thing, no bigger than a cat.

“He could have easily done some internal damage.

“Harry shouted at him and the man walked up to him and punched him straight in the face, catching the side of his nose just below his eye.

“The man said something along the lines of ‘you say that again and I’ll punch your face in’ and then cycled off.”

The attacker is described as middle aged and was wearing a hat pulled down low over his head.

He was riding a mountain bike, wearing black gloves and had “very wonky, bad teeth.”

The incident is the second reported assault on a child in Harwich and Dovercourt in a week, following an attack on a 13-year-old boy.

Julian Olivagi was left with a cut lip after a man punched him in the face in Market Street.

That incident happened at around 7.30pm on Friday, September 30.

Mrs Davies added: “I was extremely angry when I found out what happened, especially as I had already heard of the previous incident and saw the photo of the poor boy.

“This should not still be allowed to happen.

“These attackers needs finding and stopping.

“I am not at all satisfied with the police response. He is under 18 and is a child.

“He’s just been punched in the face and our puppy kicked for no reason whatsoever and they didn’t even issue a crime reference number.”

Essex Police said it has no record of the incident.