THREE children have been charged with racially aggravated assault following in incident in which an eight-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl were attacked in Prestonpans.

Police described the alleged assault on the two youngsters, which happened on Redburn Road at about 5.30pm on May 21, as “disgraceful”.

It is alleged that the victims were subjected to racial abuse before being assaulted.

Police said that the three children, all of whom were under the age of 13, had been charged and a report sent to the office of the Scottish Children’s Reporter.

Officers declined to reveal the ages of those charged because they said they were all under 13 years old.

Inspector Andy Harborow, from Tranent Police Station, said: “This was a disgraceful assault on two young children, and it’s fortunate they were uninjured.

“Hate crime will not be tolerated, and we will continue working with our partners to eliminate it from our communities.”