A NIGHT out ended in terror for two men when they were attacked by a gang of youths as they walked home from a Bournemouth pub.

One suffered horrific facial injuries when he and his friend were set upon as they approached Gloucester Road in Boscombe.

Detectives believe their vicious attackers had armed themselves with wooden fence posts or baseball bats.

One of the 30-year-old victims has undergone surgery to put metal plates in his face after suffering a fractured jaw and smashed cheekbones and nose.

His companion suffered cuts and needed stitches for a head wound.

The men, both from the Boscombe area, were attacked as they walked home along Shelley Road East at about 11.30pm on Friday after leaving the Queen's Park pub.

Neither wish to be identified but the second man said: "They started having a go at us and hurling abuse.

"One of them came over and swung a punch at me. I retaliated. I ran after the one who hit me and the next thing I knew I was being hit with a piece of wood."

He said his friend, who is currently being treated in Poole Hospital, ran after him but was immediately attacked and badly injured.

"He can't remember anything about it, but his face is a mess. He must have been unconscious because it doesn't look as if he was able to defend himself at all."

DC Martin Farrington of Bournemouth CID said: "This was a particularly brutal attack on two men who had spent a pleasant evening watching AFC Bournemouth and socialising with friends.

"They were viciously attacked in a cowardly manner by people using lengths of wood believed to be fence posts or baseball bats."

Two 16-year-old youths from Boscombe were arrested and released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call DC Farrington at Bournemouth CID on 01202 222500 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.

First published: Oct 12