A FATHER and son were beaten up during a New Year’s Eve night out.

Neil Fearns, 54, had been for a meal with family before meeting son Kyle, 25, at the Station Hotel in Preston Old Road, Cherry Tree, Blackburn.

Following a scuffle with a group in the pub the two men, from Lower Darwen, had gone outside but were then set upon.

The unprovoked attack left Kyle, a design engineer, needing pins inserting into his leg after breaking his ankle in two places.

Neil said: “It was just after midnight because we had done the countdown and celebrated the start of the new year.

“My son-in-law was threatened inside the pub for no apparent reason and I went to check that everything was OK outside.

“As I turned to come back into the pub, I got thumped on the side of my head and hit again, ending up on the floor. It all happened so quick.”

They were taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital where Kyle was operated on and his leg was put in plaster.

PC Scott Boast, from Blackburn police, said: “We are appealing for witnesses We were called to the Station pub at around 12.30am after reports of an attack on a father and son.

“Lots of people will have seen what happened because the pub was very busy.”

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Boast on 01254 353 921.