Police said Graham Smith, 24, was left with serious facial injuries after he was pounced on by the group who grabbed him from behind, smacking him to the floor.

He was repeatedly kicked in the head leaving him with a broken nose, bruising, a scratched cornea and several cuts to his face including a split eye.

It was just after midnight when the attack happened by the old Horsham Nursery School site, in North Street.

The pair were on their way towards Pondtail Road.

Graham, who was brought up in Horsham but now lives in Hendon, North London, said: "They just started laying into me after kicking me to the floor. They have broken my nose, split my eye, scratched my cornea, I look like a monster."

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: "Police were contacted at 12.37am on Sunday August 17 by the Sussex Ambulance service to a report that a man had been assaulted and injured by a group of about ten people near the old nursery school in Horsham.

Full report and comment in this week's County Times.

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