A teenager had his ear nearly bitten off and his friend was beaten unconscious in what police are describing as a violent and unprovoked attack outside a Basildon nightclub.

Three young men - aged between 17 and 21 - had just left the Ikon nightclub on the Festival Leisure Park in Cranes Farm Road, Basildon at around 2am on Friday.

As they walked past the MacDonald's restaurant, one knelt down to re-tie his shoelaces and was viciously struck from behind by unknown attackers.

His head was struck so hard he immediately lost consciousness and only became aware he had been attacked when he awoke in Basildon Hospital hours later.

One of his party - a cousin - leapt to his defence, but was set upon by two men.

Only later, after an ambulance was called, did he realise his ear had been bitten and was hanging by a flap of skin. He required ten stitches by surgeons at Basildon Hospital, where it was also discovered he had bite marks across his back.

For more on this story see today's (Monday's) Evening Echo

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