A partygoer was repeatedly punched in the face at a nightclub after turning down her admirer.

Police are appealing for information following the vicious assault which left a 21-year-old woman with fractured cheekbones and a black eye.

Shortly after 1am on Saturday the thug approached the victim at Elements in Station Road, Clacton.

When she spurned his advances he attacked her and then dragged her around the club by her hair.

A distraught relative said: "She went for a night out with her friends.

"At around 1am, a random man approached her and she was quite worried.

"He put his middle finger up to her and she spurned his advances.

"She told him to stop being so disrespectful.

"Next thing, he just started punching her in the face.

"Then he grabbed her hair, pulled it and dragged her around the club by her hair."

The girl's family received a phone call at 1.15am from a friend.

They added: "We are just in shock.

"We can't believe someone would do this to her.

"She's got a huge black eye and she has fractured cheekbones because of this.

"The consultant said she was extremely lucky she didn't have brain damage with the force of the punches.

"She was taken to Colchester General Hospital, and then to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

"As her family we'd do anything and everything for her, we are just in shock but we want to find out who is responsible."

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We have received reports of an assault in Elements nightclub, on Station Road, Clacton.

"The suspect hit the victim in the face several times and the victim was taken to hospital for her injuries.

"No arrests have been made.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

The suspect is black, about 5ft 9 tall and thought to be aged in his 30s.

The nightclub has been contacted for a comment.