A YOUNG gay couple were brutally attacked by thugs  last week.

Five to six men in hoods and balaclavas chased Ryan Winnard, 21, and his boyfriend, Max Green, 18, as they walked home from a family member’s home on Coronation Road, Radcliffe on November 23.

The couple say they originally walked past the men, who made homophobic remarks towards them.

Following the attack, Ryan had a broken nose and fractured cheek bone, while Max was left with a deep head wound, after being struck with a hammer.

Ryan said: “I am still just trying to process it in my head, but I’m absolutely disgusted by what happened.

“You never think this kind of thing could happen to you, and the police told me how rare this is, but it doesn’t offer much comfort.

“I’m just lost for words and I am shocked that the police took so long to respond.

“In regards to who did this, they must have been more desperate than me and Max because they took so many of our belongings to probably buy some drugs.”

After the attack, Ryan called the police on Max’s phone and took refuge in the Wilton Arms pub, where they waited for the police for over two hours while staff tended to the injuries.

A police spokesman said: “Enquiries established a group of around five to six people, wearing balaclavas, approached two males before assaulting them and stealing property from them including a phone.

“The men were also subject to verbal abuse from the group. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information should contact police on www.gmp.police.co.uk of by calling 101, quoting incident 2795 of November 23.