A man has been arrested in connection with a violent attack in Burnley town centre yesterday.

A 47-year-old man was left unconscious with head and facial injuries outside the Inside Out bar in Bull Street, at 2am.

He was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital after a passser-by spotted him lying in a pool of blood.

DS Mark Gillibrand said that from CCTV and other inquiries, police believed the victim had a verbal altercation with a man and was then punched to the ground.

He said: “This was quite a nasty assault. Once the offender had punched the man to the floor, he then decided to start kicking his body and head a number of times and simply walked off leaving him in the street.”

Hospital staff had wanted to keep the man, who is from Burnley, in for observation because of his head injuries, but he discharged himself against doctor’s advice and is staying with friends.

DS Gillibrand added: “There was a significant amount of blood which all came from his face and head and it looked very serious to paramedics.

"However, he is now up and about and it is fortunate it is not a lot worse. He has suffered cuts and bruises.

“The area where the assault took place is very close to a number of very busy town centre bars so there must have been a lot of people in the area at the time.”

A 45-year-old Burnley man was arrested and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Contact Burnley CID on 01282 472130 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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