A TEENAGER suffered horrific facial injuries after being punched during a brutal assault.

After being attacked, Danny Beardmore, 19, from Great Harwood, was left with a triple cheek fracture, deep cuts to his face and injuries to his nose.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Mr Beardmore is being treated at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and his mum has made an emotional appeal for help in catching the attacker.

Police said the incident happened between 3am-3.30am on Saturday in Church Street, Great Harwood, close to the Cross Axes pub.

Officers added that it is believed Mr Beardmore became involved in a verbal altercation with a group of men in Church Street before being assaulted and punched to the ground by one of the group.

A police spokesman said: “Officers were alerted to a suspected wounding and GBH incident in Great Harwood in the early hours of Saturday. A 19-year-old male sustained significant facial injuries during the assault.”

Yesterday police released a description of Mr Beardmore’s alleged attacker.

They said the suspect was around 22 years old and about 6ft tall with longish ginger hair and a ginger beard.

Mr Beardmore’s family posted graphic pictures of Danny’s injuries to Facebook in a bid to find his assailant.

By yesterday afternoon the horrific pictures, which show Mr Beardmore in hospital shortly after the assault, had been shared on the social networking site more than 2,300 times.

Danny’s mother, Louise Beardmore, said: “Danny’s girlfriend brought him home around 3am and I went into shock when I saw his face. He looked like he’d been shot and I knew he had to go to hospital.

“He’s home now until the swelling goes down but he will need surgery next week to insert plates into his cheek. The man who did this needs to be caught so if anybody had information please call the police.”

Police said anyone with information should call 101.