Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a man was assaulted in the town centre during the early hours of Sunday, November 1.

Just after 12.35am, the 22-year-old victim was walking along Wellington Avenue and turned right through a car park and onto the High Street. As he did so, he was involved in an altercation with two men, one white and one black, and a woman.

The victim does not recall how the argument started, but has told police the woman was the main aggressor.

During the incident, the woman removed her shoes and attempted to attack the man with them. The white man removed his belt to try and hit the victim, but he managed to back away into Prince’s Gardens, where the group surrounded him.

At some point during the assault, a bottle was smashed and the woman picked up a piece of the glass and slashed the victim across his back, causing a 10inch wound.

The victim, who was bare-chested having removed his top, then ran across the High Street and into Short Street where he stood on the corner of Nelson Street.

The two men approached him again and the white man struck him with his belt. The victim ran up Nelson Street towards Grosvenor Road but was again chased and struck with the belt.

The attack then stopped and the victim remembers being in the road and seeing headlights.

He was taken to hospital and required stitches for his back injury.

PC Keiran O’Farrell, from the Targeted Patrol Team, said: “We know there would have been lots of people in the town centre when it happened, both enjoying a night out and making their way home.

“We would like to hear from anyone who witnessed this incident, or knows who was responsible, to get it touch.”