A HAMPSHIRE pub landlady told today how she curled up in a ball to protect herself from thugs who left her boyfriend hospitalised.

Deborah Thorn could hear her partner and son shouting for help as she cowered on the floor at The Henry Paget pub in Shirley, Southampton.

The 40-year-old had her hair pulled and was knocked around the head when violence flared in the packed pub on Tuesday evening.

A private birthday party which had been due to go ahead in the lounge bar was cancelled after staff picked up "bad vibes" from several groups inside the premises on Boxing Day.

Minutes later a fight erupted in which three people were injured and the bar area was badly damaged.

Shirley police raced to the scene after staff dialled 999, but the culprits - believed to include two women - had already fled from the premises.

Today Miss Thorn, who suffered painful bruising and a suspected broken finger, said: "I had a feeling there was going to be trouble. There were some faces that I wasn't sure about and I rang Shirley police station to ask if someone could come by. Before we knew it, a lounge window went through and there was fighting in the public bar.

"There were also arguments near the pool table. Someone with a cue was pointing it at someone else, so I went up and asked him for it. He wouldn't give it to me, and suddenly it all kicked off.

"A group came up and grabbed me and kicked me on the back of my leg. In the end I just rolled into a ball to protect myself as there was a group of them attacking me."

Landlord Mick Clare, 49, was admitted to Southampton General Hospital with back injuries. Miss Thorn's son, Paul Painter, 22, who had been helping out in the pub, suffered a black eye when a bar-stool was thrown at him.

Part of the bar area, a fridge door and two ale pumps were damaged in the fracas.

Police believe around 90 people were on site at the time of the punch-up, around 8pm on Tuesday.

Today Dc Wendy Dowling, of Shirley CID, said: "We are keen to hear from anyone who was in the pub and either saw something or saw someone running away shortly after 8pm."

Call 0845 045 4545.