TWO thugs in a white van viciously beat a teenage boy leaving him needing an operation to repair his severe facial fractures.

Tyler Hebditch, 17, was walking home from the shops in Southview Road, Basildon, when a small white van nearly clipped him in the road.

His mother Leigh Hebditch, 39, said Tyler felt aggrieved because the van wasn’t indicating.

She said: “The van honked at him so Tyler shouted ‘learn to indicate’ at them.

“With that, the passenger opened the door and asked him what he had said so Tyler said it again so the passenger told him to go and meet them in the car park.

“He said ‘no’ and carried on walking down to Ravenscourt Drive and they began following him and shouting after they parked their white van.

“When they caught up with him, one guy hit him in the face which made him dizzy and then the other guy hit him again and that’s when he fell to the floor.”

The two men fled the scene and Tyler managed to make his way home where he told his mother what had happened.

She continued: “His face didn’t look that bad at the time but, because of he suffers with epilepsy I told him to have a nap because he said his head was killing.”

Hours later, Tyler woke up and found his face was severely bruised prompting his mother to rush him to hospital.

His mum said: “The extent of his injuries became apparent when we took him to A&E.

“He had a fractured eye-socket and a fractured cheek bone.

“They had to take him to Broomfield hospital where he was fitted with a metal plate in his face.

“He’s never had hospital treatment for anything in his life so it was unnerving - all because of something which was really uncalled for.”

Leigh is appealing for anyone who lives in the area, has CCTV or may know something about the incident, which happened on April 28, to get in touch with police on 101.

She added: “Tyler is doing better now. He had two weeks off college but his eye is almost back to normal.

“He just wants these people found and punished for what they did. We all do. He thinks there may have been a silver Fiesta in the area at the time who may have seen the whole thing. Please help if you can.”

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed they were investigating and added: “Anyone who witnessed the assault or has any information is asked to call Basildon Police Station on 101, quoting 42/66329/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.