A YOUNG dad needed 26 stitches after a thug bit through his ear in a horrifying town centre attack.

James Armstrong, 19, of Basnett Street, Burnley, was left with part of his ear "hanging off" after a frenzied assault in the early hours of the morning following a night celebrating his birthday.

He was walking along Briercliffe Road, close to the junction with St Cuthbert's Street, at around 3am on Saturday when he was set upon.

The attack left the dad-of-one with horrific injuries, including a black eye and a damaged right ear which needed to be sewn back together.

And detectives are linking the assault with a knife attack in the area at around the same time which left a man needing 19 stitches to his face.

Mr Armstrong said: "I was walking past a bunch of lads and they just bit my ear straight away - it must have been two bites.

"Then I got about eight or nine punches in the face and then they ran off.

"I ran straight to Burnley General Hospital. My ear was hanging off and I could see all the blood pouring out of me. It sobered me up straight away.

"Then they put me in an ambulance and I was driven to the Royal Blackburn Hospital."

A specialist stitched his ear back together. Police have now taken swabs from the former St Theodore's RC High School pupil's ear in a bid to track down the group of attackers.

"They say my ear will never be the same again," added Mr Armstrong. "My hearing will be okay but it will look bad.

"The doctor said the injuries were terrible. He said the cartilage had been ripped through."

Mr Armstrong, who is unemployed, lives with his partner Danielle Bastable, 19, and their one-year-old daughter.

Danielle added: "I didn't know what had happened until the next morning when his mum called.

"I was scared when I saw him. I didn't like to look at him.

"He cannot even sleep at the moment and it will not stop bleeding."

Det Sgt Charlie Haynes, from Burnley CID, said detectives believe the attack could be linked to a Briercliffe Road knife attack close to the Thursby Road junction at around 3am on Saturday.

The 21-year-old victim had 19 stitches for "slash-type wounds" following the incident, although police have so far no descriptions to go on.

Det Sgt Haynes said: "Police are treating these incidents as very serious assaults and we would appeal to anyone in the area at the time to come forward.

"We are treating both incidents as linked at this stage."

Anyone with information should contact Burnley CID on 01282 472157.