FOUR people have been arrested after a brutal gang attack in a Hampshire town centre which left a man with a broken shoulder.

The 23-yearold was set upon near Tesco in Eastleigh, leaving him needing hospital treatment.

The victim was walking through the town centre when he called out to someone he thought he recognised in a group of people sitting on a bench.

But as he walked past he was punched and kicked by a gang and fell to the floor where the unprovoked attack continued.

The group then ran off towards the bowling alley.

The victim, who had spent the night at a fairground in the town, was then taken by ambulance to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital with a broken shoulder.

Now police have launched an appeal for witnesses to the assault, which happened at 9.30pm on Saturday.

Det Con Scott Spafford from Eastleigh CID said: “This is a very serious and unprovoked assault in which a man has ended up with a broken shoulder.

“It occurred at 9.30pm, before the supermarket and some of the restaurants in that part of Eastleigh town centre closed.

“I’m hoping, therefore, that there would still have been people around who saw what happened, saw where the group ran off to or who have any information that could assist our enquiries.”

Three men – one aged 23, two aged 19 – and a 21-year-old woman, all from Eastleigh, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and bailed until September pending further police enquiries.

Contact DC Spafford at Eastleigh police station on 101 or Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.