THREE pensioners were victims of a tirade of abuse and one even physically attacked in a car park in Chard last week.

A 71-year-old man, who is currently waiting for a hip operation, was viciously booted in the leg by a young man who was reportedly drunk at the time.

Police were called to the scene at the old Lidl car park in Boden Street last Wednesday (May 27) at around 4.30pm.

Two of the victims were siblings, and stood near the edge of the car park when the incident starting unfolding.

The brother, 71, and the sister, 68, contacted the News with their frightening tale, but did not want their names to be published.

The sister said: “We were standing by Stringfellow Mews. There were two youngsters in the old Lidl car park, sitting on the wall drinking, near to the Guildhall.

“There was a chap in his 70s over by the Lace Mill who got a ladder out and climbed up to take a photo of the car park.

“Immediately, one of these young people started abusing him.”

The perpetrator approached the man and demanded that they delete the photograph.

After repeatedly swearing at the older man, the youth turned to the siblings.

The sister added: “Out of nowhere this youth said something to us like ‘he isn’t allowed to take photos of me, right?’ “We just said we didn’t know, and then the young man started abusing us.

“He came at us like he might kill us. This yob saw red.”

The siblings tried to back away out of fear the man would spit in their face, both fearing the possible spread of coronavirus.

The sister said: “My brother is 71 and waiting to have a hip replacement, and this youth kicked him in the leg.

“He really leant back and kicked as hard as he could.”

The pair described the young man as been in his late teens or early 20s.

He was very skinny, they added, and was wearing a dark t-shirt.

The brother said: “I didn’t want him to get too close to my sister because she is 68.

“I tried to draw him away from her, and then I just wanted to calm him down.

“I was trying to get back but he kept coming towards me.

“In the end I turned away and then he kicked me hard in the leg.”

The incident was interrupted by another man near the chemists, who caused the youngster to run away.

The sister said: “It was all very frightening.

“The volume of the shouting and the foul language is just something you don’t expect to hear.”

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they were called to the incident on May 27.

They added: “The incident happened in the car park on Boden Street, and then the young man left in the direction of the High Street.

“This is being investigated as a common assault.

“We have been reviewing CCTV.

“No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.”

If you witnessed the incident or have any information which could help police, contact the non-emergency number 101 with the crime reference number 5220114925.