FIVE teenagers have been arrested and one person has been hospitalised after a brawl in Parkstone.

Police received a report at around 4pm that a male teenager was being assaulted by a group of people outside the John Lewis store in Poole Road in Parkstone.

Officers and paramedics attended, and the teenager was taken to the hospital for injuries that were not believed to be serious.

A witness to the incident recalled seeing people in balaclavas “mouthing off”.

He said: “I looked over, and one of the guys was holding onto the railing, and his hand pressed tightly against his lower abdomen.

“He was very, very pale and his legs just literally gave way, and he fell to the floor. I think he fainted.”

It was reported that members of the group fled the scene in a vehicle.

The vehicle believed to be involved was subsequently stopped by officers in the Fleetsbridge area of Poole.

Three male suspects were detained at the scene, and two further individuals were arrested following searches in the area after they were reportedly off from the scene.

A 15-year-old boy from Poole was arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and driving offences, an 18-year-old man from Poole has been arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray and a 19-year-old man from Poole has been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

Two further teenagers – aged 15 and 16 and also both from Poole – were arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

All five individuals have been released on police bail as detectives from BCP CID carry out further enquiries.

A Parkstone resident commented on the attack, saying, “I am concerned at how often incidents like this seem to be happening.

“There was a stabbing on Vale Road just a couple of weeks ago, and that’s only three minutes away from here.

“I’d never given it much thought, but for something like this to happen in broad daylight is quite unsettling.”