Initially sources at both North Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Ambulance Service said that the 16-year-old victim had suffered two stab wounds to his leg – because his injuries looked so serious.

But after further investigation it was found he had suffered minor cuts and bruises after being assaulted in Newby.

He was found by passers-by near the junction between Moor Lane and Throxenby Lane at 2.40am on Bank Holiday Monday (August 25).

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the youth was discharged from Scarborough Hospital on Tuesday (August 26) after receiving treatment for his wounds.

Acting Detective Inspector Rob Henderson said: "He has not been stabbed although his injuries were believed to be serious at first. It was just cuts and bruises and he had been assaulted."

This latest attack comes just days after North Yorkshire's chief constable, Grahame Maxwell, went on patrol in Scarborough's town centre where he witnessed the first use of a police knife arch.

The airport-style metal detector scanned a total of 87 members of the public on what is traditionally one of the busiest weekends for Scarborough Police.

One small camping knife was found and removed from a holidaymaker while police made three arrests for drunk and disorderly behaviour and issued one direction to leave order.

In North Yorkshire in 2007-08, there were 168 violent crimes involving knives. And in the past 12 months there were 425 incidents of violent crime recorded in Scarborough alone, though that is down on the previous 12 months when there were 572 incidents.

The high visibility police presence was intended to reduce the public's fear of crime and Mr Maxwell reassured people that knife crime is not a problem for Scarborough – where violent crime is falling.

He said: "Recent crime figures show North Yorkshire is the safest place to live in the country and we intend to do all we can to keep it that way."

• Anyone who witnessed Monday's attack or has any information is urged to contact Scarborough police on 0845 6060247.