17-year-old boy arrested after female police officer is attacked outside pub in Clitheroe

The female officer was injured whilst breaking up a fight outside a pub in Wellgate in the early hours of Sunday morning (August 9).

Lancashire Police said the officer had been responding to reports of a violent brawl between two groups of young men outside the pub, when one of them turned on her and assaulted her.

The force said a 17-year-old boy, from Clitheroe, has been arrested.

The officer sustained minor injuries and required treatment at Clitheroe police station.

It said the assault on the officer was one of a number of incidents reported in Clitheroe during the weekend's evening hours. Police have not named the pub where the attack took place, but two town centre pubs - the Buck Inn and The Dog - are situated in Wellgate.

A spokesman for Ribble Valley Police said: "Local residents will be aware of a number of incidents of disorderly behaviour that happened in Clitheroe town centre on Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday morning.

"During one of these incidents a Ribble Valley response police officer has been assaulted whilst trying to diffuse a volatile situation between two groups of males, outside of a Public House on Wellgate.

"Thankfully the officer only sustained minor injuries whilst arresting a 17-year-old male from Clitheroe.

"However, she shouldn't have been subject to this level of aggression whilst simply trying to keep residents and visitors to the Ribble Valley safe."

As well as condemning the attack on one of its officers, the force said it will be working alongside pub landlords to make sure venues are adhering to the precautions put in place to tackle the spread of COVID-19.

The police spokesman added: "Over the coming weeks the Police Licensing Team, who are based at Clitheroe Police Station, will be working with the licencees of the town, environmental health officers and local authority, who have responsibility for both granting licenses and setting licence conditions.

"This is to ensure that pubs and bars operate in a safe manner to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19, and to ensure that people are able to enjoy a night out in Clitheroe.

"We ask that businesses and visitors to the town centre continue to follow government guidance."