VIOLENCE ON THE STREET

DETECTIVES are keen to contact a group of women believed to have witnessed an unprovoked late-night attack.

Two Congleton friends in their early 30s were injured when they were set upon by a group of youths on Friday night.

One of the men was on crutches at the time from a previous injury, and suffered a fractured hip in the assault.

He was taken by ambulance to Macclesfield Hospital, while another man was punched in the face and kicked during the incident.

The men were attacked as they and a friend were waiting at the front of the queue at the taxi rank in Market Street, Congleton.

A group of young men in their teens or early 20s pushed to the front of the line, and assaulted the men after being asked to wait their turn.

The attackers ran off, and police are seeking witnesses to the incident, in particular three women in the queue at the time.

One of the women is believed to be a nurse, and came to the aid of one of the injured men.

"We are treating this incident very seriously because of the nature of the injuries," said DC Chris Beale.

"The men assaulted were returning home after a quiet night out in town when they subjected to a completed unprovoked attack."

Any witnesses to the incident are asked to ring Congleton CID on 01244-613533.