AN innocent bystander was left with a broken jaw after he found himself caught up in a turf war between two rival gangs of youths.

Kevin Heath, who is today in hospital undergoing surgery, believes gang culture is out of control and has turned parts of Hampshire into no-go areas at the weekends.

The 49-year-old had just stepped out of the front door of his Fair Oak home when he heard the youths running past him, chasing each other during a street fight.

As he went to his parked car they tore past him and one of the group knocked him to the ground.

When he got back to his feet he inadvertently stepped into the path of another teenager, who punched him in the face for getting in his way.

As he tried to remonstrate with his attackers, another youth hit him in the chest and back.

Mr Heath was left with a fractured jaw and bruising to his face and body, and was taken to hospital by ambulance after staggering back into his home.

If today's surgery is unsuccessful, doctors say they will have to insert a metal plate into his jaw.

A Fair Oak resident nearly all his life, Mr Heath says gang-related problems have escalated rapidly over the past 18 months.

"It's getting crazy. This sort of thing is going on all the time but the kids who get beaten up are too scared of reprisals so don't report it to police," he told the Daily Echo.

"Most of the kids won't go out on the streets after 8.30pm on a Friday or Saturday because there are gangs cruising around. Something urgently needs to be done."

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened at around 11.30pm on Friday.

The first youth is described as white, approximately 18 years old, 5ft 6in, of average build, with short dark hair.

He was wearing a white baseball cap, white hooded top and tracksuit bottoms and may have been carrying beer bottles.

The second youngster was also white, around 17 years old, 5ft 2in and of average build. He had dark, medium length hair and was wearing a dark green hooded top.

Contact Eastleigh police station on 0845 045 4545, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.