A TEENAGE girl was indecently assaulted and her friend punched in the face by a man they had met in a nightclub.

The two 16-year-old girls invited the man back to their home in Lancaster after meeting him in the Crystal T's nightclub, Morecambe.

Shortly after they arrived, one of the girls left the room.

She returned moments later to find her friend being indecently assaulted.

When she tried to stop the attack, the man turned on her and punched her several times in the face.

The group had left the nightclub in the early hours of March 16 and waited for a taxi at the rank close to the Eric Morecambe statue on Marine Road.

After the attack, the man was forced to leave the house in North Lancaster.

Police were alerted after the parents of the girl who was punched noticed her injuries.

CCTV pictures are now being studied.

The attacker is described as white, 5ft 8in tall with dark, brown hair and dark, brown, bushy eyebrows and a stubble growth on his face.

He was wearing jeans, a Grett T-shirt and a pair of brown Rockport boots.

Det Sgt Mark Salisbury of Lancaster Police said: "This was a particularly nasty offence, in which the offender took advantage of the situation he found himself in used excessive force of the victim's friend when she has tried to assist her friend.

"Anyone who can assist with this inquiry is asked to call Police at Lancaster as soon as possible."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lancaster CID on 01524 63333.