ONLOOKERS saw a middle-aged man screaming as he was kicked and punched in a "brutal" town centre attack.The 44-year-old victim suffered a broken jaw after he was attacked by a gang of youths in Ipswich.

By Georgina James

ONLOOKERS saw a middle-aged man screaming as he was kicked and punched in a "brutal" town centre attack.

The 44-year-old victim suffered a broken jaw after he was attacked by a gang of youths in Ipswich.

Police are now hunting the group of teenagers responsible for the serious and unprovoked assault on Friday night.

The 44-year-old was walking along Back Hamlet at 11.15pm when he was approached by a gang of 15 youths hanging about close to the passageway that separates Suffolk College and Alexandra Park.

As the man tried to make his way through the group one of the gang swung him around and stopped him passing.

It is understood that the victim then tried to pass the gang by walking in the road, but he was again stopped by one of the gang members who blocked his path and pushed him to the ground.

One eyewitness, who does not wish to be identified, said she saw part of the attack from her bedroom window

"I heard screaming and look out of the window and saw three boys kicking a man in the head and punching him as he lay in the middle of the road. Five girls were watching.

"It was a very horrible and brutal attack," she said.

The woman said she was worried that the victim may have been her boyfriend and immediately rushed outside.

She added: "Cars were swerving around the man as he lay in the road. Another man came out to help and I then went in and called the police and ambulance and took him a tea-towel for his face."

Earlier at about 10pm the woman said she had seen a gang of about 15 boys and girls sitting on the railings outside Alexandra Park.

Neville Lancaster, 64, who went to the aid of the man after he heard screaming said: "The victim's mouth was pouring with blood and he had taken quite a beating.

"Three teenage girls were trying to drag the man from the middle of the road to the pavement so I went to help.

"The victim was conscious and he told me he was on his way home when he was attacked."

The group of male and female youths were aged between 14 and 15.

Dc Lloyd Stewart, who is investigating the case, said: "This was a particularly nasty unprovoked assault.

"The area was fairly busy with cars driving by at the time and I am appealing for anyone with any information to come forward."

Anyone with information relating to this incident should contact Ipswich CID on 01473 383133, or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.