POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old boy was seriously injured during a serious assault in Burnley town centre on Sunday (July18) morning.

Just after 4.20am officers were called to reports that a different 17-year-old boy had been assaulted in Hammerton Street a short time earlier.

Emergency services attended and found the first victim unresponsive on the pavement close to Panamas nightclub.

He was taken to hospital for treatment on a fractured skull and bleed on the brain. He remains in hospital at this time.

The second victim's injuries are not believed to be serious.

Police are treating both assaults as linked and believed that the boy who was less seriously injured was attacked first.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

DI Jo Williams, from Burnley CID, said: “This was a shocking attack which has left a 17-year-old boy with some serious injuries and my thoughts are with him and his family at this time.

“We are working to piece together the circumstances surrounding both assaults and they are being treated as linked at this stage.

“Although both assaults happened in the early hours of the morning, I am convinced there will be people who witnessed it who have not yet come forward. I would ask anyone with information or anybody with mobile phone, CCTV or dashcam footage which could assist our investigation to contact police as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to email forcecontrolroom@lancashire.police.uk or call 101, quoting log 0310 of July 18, 2021.