A 23-YEAR-OLD man is fighting for his life today after he endured a brutal beating in Ipswich town centre.Two men set upon the victim as he walked home from a night out with his sister in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A 23-YEAR-OLD man is fighting for his life today after he endured a brutal beating in Ipswich town centre.

Two men set upon the victim as he walked home from a night out with his sister in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The vicious assault began in St Peters Street when two men got out of a red Escort-type vehicle. One became involved in a fight with the man.

It is then thought a further incident took place in Silent Street, involving at least one of the men and the 23-year-old, who is from London.

Police and ambulance crews were called at about 3.30am and the unconscious patient was taken to Ipswich Hospital.

He was later transferred to Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital to undergo surgery on his "serious head injuries". His condition remained "critical" today.

The crime scene was sealed off until around noon yesterday as detectives scoured the area for clues in their investigation.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police revealed a large part of the incident had been captured on closed circuit television. This was today being examined by detectives in a bid to identify the attackers.

Police said the victim and his sister, who had been out for the evening, walked over to Cardinal Park at around 3am and met two men near to the Ask Café.

It is thought there was an initial altercation there between the victim, one of the two men, and at least one member of another large group of men - but no fight took place.

The victim and his sister then walked along Cardinal Park to Star Lane, where they noticed a red car stopped near them at the junction with St Peters Street.

Two men got out and followed the pair on foot. Soon after, the two beatings took place.

Detective Inspector Alan Seaman, of Suffolk Police, said: "This was a nasty assault, which has left a young man with very serious injuries.

"We need to speak to anyone who may have seen the initial altercation near Brannigans, or who may have witnessed either of the physical altercations in the Silent Street area.

"We would particularly like to talk to a black male, with dreadlocks, who is believed to have been in a red car and who stopped to help the victim."

Two men were arrested late yesterday in connection with the incident, but police have asked anyone with any information about the attack to call Ipswich CID on 01473 613500.

RESIDENTS in Silent Street today spoke of the constant bedlam that descends on their street during the weekends.

Although shocked to hear about the assault, they said it is a regular occurrence to hear shouting and at all hours during weekends.

The street is regularly used as a shortcut for revelers moving between nightspots.

Phyllis Deeks, 75, of Turret Green Court, Ipswich, said: "We always have noise down here at the weekend and we don't take any notice anymore. A lot of the people sleep with ear plugs in because it's so noisy."

Joyce Harvey, 81, also of Turret Green Court, added: "I didn't hear anything because my flat faces the away from the road where it happened. But people are so used to hearing noises they don't really take any notice."

Another female resident, who declined to be named, said: "We're always hearing shouting and screaming. We get windows broken and drain pipes wrenched off. It's a normal weekend for us so even if people had heard anything they probably wouldn't have taken much notice."