A MUM told how her 14-year-old son has been left too terrified to leave the house after he was punched by a driver and nearly pushed off his bike.

Connor Duhig was on his way to a friend’s house when a car passed him in Great Knightleys, Basildon. He asked the driver to give him some more space, and was assaulted by the passenger just moments later.

Connor, from Basildon, had been out cycling with his brother, Nick, at about 4.45pm on Sunday when the incident took place.

His mum, Sarah Duhig, said: “He said to them: ‘Can you give me a bit more room next time please?’

“They stopped the car further up the road and the passenger got out. He then punched Connor in the side as he was passed.”

The youngster was able to get away from the man and called his dad, Mark. The family then reported the assault to police.

The two brothers knocked on doors nearby and discovered one resident had captured the incident on CCTV.

It shows the car pulling up and the passenger getting out and punching Connor as he rode past - before nearly falling over.

The car is thought to be a black Volvo XC60 and was driven by a woman.

Sarah said: “Connor said the man smelt of booze.

“What sort of 40-year-old man does that to a 14-year-old boy?

“I want to ask him why he did it. Why did he want to hit my son?”

While he suffered no physical injury in the assault, Connor has been left shaken. He is now too afraid to leave the house.

His mum added: “He tried to go to school yesterday but had to come back and was banging on the door saying he just couldn’t do it.

“I am going to try to get him to go back today as he needs to.

“He isn’t normally shy, but this has really upset him.

“He used to go out on his bike a lot but he won’t now.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police were called to reports of an assault in Great Knightleys, Basildon, that took place between 4pm and 4.45pm on Sunday.

“The victim, a 14 year-old boy, had been cycling along the road when he was passed by a car.

“Following a verbal altercation, it was reported the driver of the car punched the victim.”

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101 quoting incident 853 of June 11 or on Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.