A TEENAGER has described how he was knocked unconscious during a violent attack as he walked down a busy shopping street in broad daylight.

Liam Ryves, suffered a broken cheek bone and severe bruising to his right eye during the unprovoked attack in High Street, Eastleigh.

The 17-year-old was walking through the town centre with two friends when a man approached him from behind and asked him if he was from the town.

When he replied "yes", the man punched the teenager in the face knocking him to the ground.

"I don't remember exactly what happened, but my two friends said he hit me twice and I just went straight down," he said.

"I just remember someone asking me where I was from and then waking up in the back of the ambulance.

"I asked the paramedics what had happened and they told me I had been hit and that they were taking me to hospital in Winchester because of the injuries to my head."

Liam, who studies hairdressing at Eastleigh College, said he could not believe the attack could happen to someone in a busy shopping street, especially during the day.

"It is very scary that people would do this. I won't go out without being in a group now and I'm still a bit scared to go into town," he said.

Liam's father Graham Ryves, 41, said he urges anyone with any information to come forward.

"I got a call telling me what happened and to go to the hospital in Winch-ester," he said.

"It was shocking seeing him there covered in cuts and bruises. I couldn't bear it, and actually burst into tears."

"People really need to come forward," he added.

"This doesn't happen everyday in broad daylight and if someone saw anything they need to think that it could have been their child."

Liam is still recovering from the attack and is due back to hospital to have further X-rays to see if the assault caused any long lasting damage.

Nerve damage "I still can't feel part of my mouth on the side I was hit and I was told there could be some nerve damage to my face near my eye," he said.

Emergency services were called to the scene following the attack near the Iceland supermarket between 1.10pm and 1.30pm on Monday, November 13.

An ambulance took Liam to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital where he received care for his broken cheekbone and damaged eye, before he was transferred to Southampton General Hospital for further treatment.

Investigating the incident, PC Simon Langford of Eastleigh police station said: "The High Street would have been very busy with shoppers at this time of day and we would ask anyone who was in the area on Monday lunchtime and saw what happened to get in touch."

Police are still hunting the attacker who is described as wearing a black hooded top with stripes along the sleeves and tracksuit bottoms with stripes down the sides.

Anyone with information should contact Eastleigh police station on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.