Police are appealing for information after an incident in Banbury where an 18-year-old man was assaulted and a firearm was allegedly discharged.

The man was walking along School View at about 3.20pm on Friday, when he was allegedly approached by two men, who began to racially abuse him.

The man claims he was then assaulted by the two men. During the incident he dropped his mobile phone, which was then taken by one of his two attackers.

The victim then saw the two men enter a property in School View and called some members of his family to help him recover the phone.

A disturbance then took place outside the property, during which one of the two men is alleged to have produced a knife and the other a baseball bat and some sort of firearm, which he is alleged to have discharged into the air.

Det Con Joe Stevenson said: “I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time, who may have seen either of these incidents to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.

“Did you witness the assault? Did you hear the disturbance in School View or a firearm being discharged?

“Thames Valley Police is treating these allegations very seriously and we would like to reassure the community that everything that can be done is being done.”

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and another 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and possession of a firearm.

Both men have been bailed to appear back at Banbury police station on December 13.

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact Det Con Stevenson via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.