On Wednesday, specially trained officers began the slow process of questioning the youngster about what happened to him on Tuesday night, how he got to the woods and how he came to have bruises on his body and marks around his neck.

Police were called to Anthony’s home on Princess Crescent, Chickenley, shortly after 6pm, where they were told he had been attacked by a group of older children in woods, off Park View, behind Earlsheaton Medical Centre, near to a children’s play area.

His injuries were judged to be so serious by police officers that the children, aged 11 and 12, arrested on Tuesday night and in the early hours of Wednesday morning, were questioned in relation to Anthony’s attempted murder.

Two children, both local to Dewsbury, remained in custody at Dewsbury police station, yesterday as the Reporter went to press.

Anthony was treated at Dewsbury District Hospital overnight and released on Wednesday. He and his mother Terri Brown were yesterday helping police piece together the events which occurred between Anthony vanishing from his garden and being discovered by his 22-year-old cousin, Tracey Jones, a quarter of a mile away from home.

Senior Investigating Officer, Det Supt Andy Brennan, of the West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Inquiry Team, said the site was sealed off as forensic teams and scenes of crime officers examined the scene.

A number of items were recovered from the area but police would not reveal any further details.

Police were also carrying out house to house enquiries to gather further information and speak to any potential witnesses.

Det Supt Brennan said the injuries Anthony received were of a serious nature.

interviewed

He said: “He has marks around his neck that could be consistent with ligature marks. He has not been interviewed in relation to how he came by them, but clearly there are marks around his neck which give me cause for concern.”

He refused to speculate on the motive for the attack or whether it was a prank which had gone too far.

He added: “The investigation is in its very early stages and we are still in the process of interviewing those in custody and Anthony to find out the circumstances of what happened.

“I would appeal to anyone who was close to the woods, near the medical centre, to come forward. Tuesday was a very sunny day and there would have been a lot of people out at that time, children playing in the park, people walking their dogs.”

Anthony is not related to any of the children arrested.

Police have not ruled out the possibility of more arrests and are still looking for “two or three” others.

Residents in the Chickenley and Earlsheaton were horrified by the attack.