Man slaps 9-year old in the face 'because he was playing near his house'

A nine-year-old boy was knocked to the ground when he was slapped by a man, for "playing near his house".

CCTV footage shows the middle-aged man following the youngster after he goes to retrieve his football from a grocery shop in Leicester.

But as the boy starts to walk away with his ball, the man slaps him, leaving the child on the floor.

The shopkeeper said: "The man hit him from behind and knocked him down and left him like that.

"I heard the boy scream and ran outside, he was very upset and crying.

"The man said the ball hit his door and he was sick of it.

"I said 'shame on you, he's nine years old. Leave him alone'."

"I think his ball hit the man's door and the little boy ran into the shop because he was scared.

"I took the boy inside the shop then back to his family and they called the police. I gave a statement to the police on Sunday night.

"The boy has a bruise and is still very shaken up," the businessman added.

In the clip, members of the public stroll past the boy, without stopping to check he is ok.

It was shared online with the comment: "The boys were playing football in the street, as kids do.

"After that this young boy, who's nine years old, went to the shop to get his ball.

"So sad how a grown man can hit someone else's child, all because they were playing football near his house.