A VIOLENT street brawl involving men armed with baseball bats and a knife saw one man lose part of his finger, police said.

Four men needed hospital treatment after a fight involving ‘up to 15 people’ in Manchester Road, Hapton.

Police have urged witnesses to come forward in confidence after some residents refused to give formal statements for fear of being identified in the close-knit village.

The trouble erupted in the street at around 1am on Sunday after an earlier argument between two groups of drinkers in the Hapton Inn, Accrington Road.

A 19-year-old man from Hapton has been arrested on suspicion of section 18 grevious bodily harm with intent.

He has been bailed until October 25.

Detective Sergeant Phil Pilkington, from Burnley CID, said the two groups left the pub and trouble flared on the street later on.

He said: “There’s been a group of men fighting and weapons have been used and seen.

“The disturbance took place on Manchester Road and four males were taken to hospital in Blackburn with significant injuries. One has lost part of a digit. It is something that has started earlier that night and then there has been an outbreak of violence between the two groups, with up to 15 people involved in the fighting.

“We are looking for witnesses to come forward; indeed we would welcome any assistance.

“This is a significant skirmish for a community as small as Hapton. We have had several calls about this incident but people have been reluctant to make statements because it is such a close-knit community.”

A father and son were found at a nearby address with injuries while police also discovered a man with slash wounds on the street.

The man who had the top of finger sliced off may need reconstructive surgery, and also suffered nerve damage to three other fingers and a wound to his face.

Michelle Richardson, landlady at the Hapton Inn, said: “The pub is a nice family pub and all the violence happened further up the village.

“The father and son had been in the pub earlier to attend a birthday party and play a song. The father said something so I asked him to leave. As they left the other group were coming in and there was an argument.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 01282 472240.