An eyewitness of an attack on two teenage girls in Riverside has explained why she walked away from the scene.

Sprowston mum Cheryl Watling, 39, has spoken about her 14-year-old daughter and her friend were hospitalised after they were confronted by a group of adults and children in Wherry Road on Monday around 7.45pm.

Her daughter suffered a broken nose while her friend also required medical attention after the assault as they left the Riverbank Chinese restaurant.

A 26-year-old woman, who did not wish to be named, saw the incident as she left the Queen of Iceni pub with a group of friends.

But it was only later that the eyewitness realised the two teenagers were assaulted with the adults present allegedly encouraging the children to kick and punch the girls.

She said: "It looked like there were four teenage girls fighting. As we were crossing the bridge we saw what we thought were two security guards intervening which is why we did not stop.

"It turns out they were not security guards at all and were involved in the attack. They were looked like security guards as they were wearing black jackets."

Norfolk Police is currently investigating the assault with enquiries ongoing, and it is understood CCTV footage from Riverside venues is being used to try and track down what was believed to be a family.

The eyewitness added: "There was a group up by the bowling alley. What I thought was the end of the fight was actually the beginning.

"I thought it was a bit of a scuffle but to find out later on that was not the case and the men were helping was quite horrific.

"I have never known anything like that before, not even on Friday or Saturday nights."

Another eyewitness Simone Denton, 25, said she left the Chinese restaurant not long after the group and the two teenage girls.

She called the police and waited with the girls before giving her witness statement.

Miss Denton said: "The men were grabbing the girls to hit them and then one of the men kicked them in the head on the floor. It happened really quickly."