A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of GBH after a man in his 50s was injured during a confrontation with youths in St Albans yesterday.

The victim was reportedly involved in an altercation with youths behaving in an anti-social manner in Granville Road at about 9.20pm, and received lacerations to his head requiring a number of stitches.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital, and has since been released.

Earlier that same evening - at about 7.50pm - the fire service was called to deal with a blaze inside a bin shed in Newsom Place, off Hatfield Road.

A police spokeswoman has said the two incidents are currently being linked, the boy was also arrested on suspicion of arson and assaulting a police officer and he has been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

Det Insp Alexandra Warwick, from the St Albans Local Crime Unit, said: "The victim has been left shaken and scarred by this vicious attack and I understand this incident may also cause concern in the local community.

"I want to reassure people that we are doing all we can to establish the circumstances around what happened and to trace anyone who may have been involved.

"There will be an increased police presence in the area over the weekend and a section 35 dispersal order has also been put in place, which allows officers to direct people to move on from the area if they feel they may cause harassment, alarm or distress to residents or increase the risk of crime and disorder.

"If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to speak with us.

"I would also encourage anyone with information to assist the investigation to make contact."

Anyone with information about what happened is asked to email Det Sgt Evans at LCUStAlbans@herts.pnn.police.uk.

You can also report information online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in their force communications room via the online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call 101, quoting crime reference 41/607/20.

Alternatively, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.