Residents shocked after police shut off Portsmouth cycling route where boy, 14, was attacked???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A stretch of Moneyfield Avenue near Ocean Retail Park, in Copnor, has been cordoned off after a boy from Portsmouth was assaulted at about 7.45pm on Monday. 

Another 14-year-old boy, also from Portsmouth, has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. 

Witnesses said officers arrived at the scene at about 5am today. 

Alison Dixon, is a store colleague at Pets at Home, next to the road, and was ordered by police to steer clear of the route.

She said: ‘I got here just after 5am and there was lots of shouting by police, saying “don’t cross the road”.

‘I didn’t want to get involved so I stayed in my car for a bit.

‘You don’t expect anything like that at 5am round here. It’s normally quite quiet when I come into work.’

Lashing of blue and white police tape have been used to block either end of the street, which is a popular cycle path that runs between two allotment sites.

Officers at the scene were seen stopping dozens of children on their way to school from entering the road.

Sandra Churcher, 60, lives in Moneyfield Avenue near the southern end of the cordon.

She said: ‘I have lived here for about 25 years and have never seen anything like this. 

‘I came out and saw all the kids being diverted and cars being diverted.’

She said she had safety fears about the closed stretch of pathway and added: ‘It's very dark. I never go down there at night.