POLICE have confirmed details of an assault outside a borough school this morning (Friday, 19 June) and launched an appeal for witnesses.

It happened outside Belmont Academy on Parker Road in Grays and the school immediately sent a message to parents.

Police issued the following statement: "We were called to reports of an assault in Parker Road, Grays at around 8.50am.

"It was reported a man sitting in a car was assaulted by another man and left with cuts to his face.

"A 33 year-old man from Fobbing has since been arrested on suspicion of ABH and is currently in custody.

"If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us.

"Please quote the crime reference number 42/95468/26.

You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.

"Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our online reporting services.

"If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111."

A witness told Nub News: "A taxi pulled up to the school containing the driver, a male passenger and his daughter.

"In front of children as young as three years old waiting outside Little Birds Nursery, two men started to punch the passenger through the window, trying to remove him from the car, shouting things such as 'get out and fight' and 'come on and man up'.

"Mums waiting with their children outside the nursery and other parents who had dropped off their children at Belmont Castle Academy only minutes before were shouting at the men to stop as there were children about.

"The nursery staff were quick to pull in the young children and try and shield them from the views while some women simply watched on in pure shock, some with babies in buggies.

"Once the taxi had taken the man into the school, it shortly left without any passengers while the man and his friend and several mums seemed to be gathered waiting for the man to emerge from the school.

"The police were called by several parents and took about 15 minutes to arrive."

Nub News has passed that statement to police.

A video is circulating on social media showing the first altercation that happened yesterday morning.