A Bradford teenager has undergone life-saving surgery after violence flared as students celebrated their GCSE exam results.

The 17-year-old youth was rushed to hospital where he had emergency surgery to a blood clot on his brain after he was attacked while walking with friends in Myrtle Park, Bingley.

Detectives in West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET) have been brought in to investigate.

The teenager, of Allerton, was in the park’s riverside bottom meadow as students celebrated their GCSE results on Tuesday night.

Detective Superintendent Chris Thompson, who is leading the inquiry, said: “He was subjected to a violent assault which left him fighting for his life with serious head injuries.”

The teenager, who has not been named by police, was initially taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary, where specialists operated on a blood clot which had formed on his brain.

His condition was last night described by police as “stable”.

A police cordon yesterday surrounded most of the bottom meadow of the park, which is a beauty spot and popular with dog walkers. Scenes of crimes officers carried out a thorough search of the grassed area.

Det Supt Thompson said police were aware that students who attend Bingley Grammar School were in the park at the time of the assault, although the victim is not believed to attend the school.

He said: “Young people from Bingley Grammar School were present in the park at this time celebrating their GCSE results.

“I would appeal to this group of people, anyone who may have witnessed the incident or anyone who has any information, to contact the incident room. It is vital that we piece together the events leading to this incident.”

Bingley Conservative Councillor David Heseltine said he was shocked by the attack.

He said: “It is unfortunate when people should be celebrating that someone has taken it upon themselves to spoil it with violence.”

Fellow Conservative ward Councillor John Pennington said: “I would back calls by the police to contact them with information. It is so important that any youngsters who saw this should report it. It is their duty.”

Anyone with information about the attack, which happened at about 8pm on Tuesday, should contact HMET on 0845 6060606.

  • A 16-year-old boy was last night charged with wounding and resisting arrest and was due to appear at Bingley magistrates court today.