Police appealed for witnesses after a man was assaulted in Banbury during the early hours today.

The incident happened at about 3.36am as the victim, a 22-year-old man, was walking home from the town centre along Bridge Street, towards Middleton Road.

The victim remembers being approached by a man who barged into him; he was then punched repeatedly in the face.

The victim sustained serious bruising to both eyes and possible facial fractures. He is being trated at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the assault as they were waking along or driving past Bridge Street.

If you have any information about this incident, please contact PC Thomas Smalley via the 24-hour non-emergency number, 0845 8 505 505. If you do not want to speak to the police, call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111