TWO teenagers are likely to be scarred for life after they were slashed about the face and neck in an unprovoked attack.

Today, the father of one of the two injured 17-year-olds, Darren Mounsey, pleaded for anyone who knows who attacked his son and his friend to come forward.

Jim Mounsey, of Regent Street, Bacup, said: "Darren had been out with his friend, David Ticehurst, at David's girlfriends in Blackthorn and was walking home when it happened.

"I found out when some children came to our house and said David had been attacked and had been taken to hospital.

"On Tuesday night he was a terrible mess. His throat had been slashed and it looked like he'd been beaten about the head.

"He was in surgery for several hours while they operated on the injury to his throat which had severed muscles."

Darren, a former Fearns High School pupil, had been doing odd jobs while deciding what job to pursue.

His father urged anyone who saw the attack to contact the police. He described the assault as mindless and said: "Darren hasn't been able to speak about what happened because we have been waiting for him to come round."

Police officers were in the town yesterday carrying out inquiries and searching for the weapon used in the assault.

A footpath from Rochdale Road which goes behind the library and health centre and leads to Hammerton Green had been sealed off while police investigated.

The attack happened at about 10.30pm when the two lads were walking home.

Detective Inspector Tony Ronnan said: "One of the teenagers suffered serious injuries to his face and neck and has had surgery on his injuries at Rochdale Infirmary.

"The other has been treated and allowed home from the infirmary after having a substantial number of stitches in wounds to his face."

"At the moment we are dealing with an unprovoked attack on these two youths by two men whom we have no descriptions for yet."

"We are hoping to speak to the victims and we are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward if they saw anyone acting suspicious."

DI Ronnan was not able to say whether the weapon used to cause the slash injuries was a knife, a bottle or other sharp object.

He added that they were checking CCTV camera footage for the area to see if anyone had been captured on camera.

Anyone with information is asked to contact 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.