A 46-YEAR-OLD man is in hospital with serious hand and head injuries after an attack in Ipswich.

A 46-YEAR-OLD man is today in hospital with serious hand and head injuries after an attack in Ipswich.

Police said the man was beaten up by a group of five to six people wielding weapons described by witnesses as baseball bats and iron bars in the Back Hamlet and Fore Street area at around 10.35pm last night.

A 34-year-old man from Ipswich has been released on bail today after being arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon in connection with the incident. He is due to return to Ipswich Police Station on March 1.

The injured man, who is from the Ipswich area, was taken to Ipswich Hospital with serious injuries - his condition was not thought to be life threatening.

Today he was still in hospital and police officers were due to interview him about the incident.

House to house inquiries have been carried out in the area.

The attack was not believed to be a stabbing, although it allegedly involved a form of “edged weapon”.

The area was sealed off by police and there were around half a dozen patrol cars at the scene, along with ambulances.

The pavement outside flats at the bottom of Back Hamlet was spattered with blood.

Back Hamlet itself was closed off to traffic while emergency services worked at the scene.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident, or anyone who was in the area at around 10.30pm, to contact DS Karl Nightingale at Ipswich CID on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.