Ant (of and Dec fame) assaulted outside pub

Ant McPartlin was attacked by a group of thugs while enjoying a pub meal.

The 38-year-old TV presenter - one half of presenting duo Ant and Dec - was dining at the upmarket Station House in Chiswick, west London, with his mum Christine and aunt earlier this month when they were accosted by a group of boys, who banged on the gastropub's window and made crude gestures to catch his attention.

The group then assaulted Ant when he went outside to ask them to stop, putting him in a headlock. The star's 58-year-old mum was also shoved to the ground when she tried to intervene.

An eyewitness told The Sun newspaper: "The youths were banging on the window, filming them and generally being a pain, and they just wouldn't let it lie.

"Ant was completely reasonable and said, 'Leave it out, lads, I'm just having a quiet meal.' But it immediately turned really nasty and one of them jumped on him and put him in a headlock.

"When his mum came out to see what was going on she was pushed over. It was shocking and terrifying to see. Ant was furious and both he and his mum were left shaken.

"Ant called the police but by the time officers came the group had ran off and he decided not to take it further. Thankfully neither of them were hurt."

A Scotland Yard spokesperson added: "At 8.13pm on Thursday March 13 there were reports of an assault in Spencer Road, Chiswick.

"Police attended but no allegation was made and no one suffered any notable injuries."

It is not the first time McPartlin has been subject to abuse. In March 2011 he was accosted by a drinker in West London and hit in the face after being taunted.