A CRAWLEY man was battered with a baseball bat after youths demanded he hand over a mobile phone and cigarettes.
The 26-year-old man, who hasn't been named, was approached by a group of six males and two females as he was walking along Tilgate Drive in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Two of the males ordered the victim to give them his mobile and cigarett
es and when he refused struck him over the head with a baseball bat.
A spokeswoman for Crawley Police said that the man's attackers stamped on his hands as he lay bleeding on the pavement.
It's thought the two girls repeatedly tried to stop the attack, after which the group ran off down Salisbury Road.
One of the male youths was described as white, approximately 6'0" tall, of a slim build with short dark hair.
He was clean shaven and spoke with a local accent, and was wearing dark blue jeans and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt.
The other male was also white and of a slim build, in his late teens with very short dark hair.
DC Amanda Leigh of Crawley CID has said "This was a particularly vicious and unprovoked attack in which a baseball bat was used to cause a severe injury – we are very keen to speak to anyone who has any information regarding this assault or the group of youths involved."
The man was treated for head wounds at East Surrey Hospital.
If you have any information call the police on 08456070999.
DO YOU KNOW THE MAN? DID YOU SEE THE ATTACK? Call (01293) 845055 email matthew.gaw@sussexnewspapers.co.uk or leave your comment below.