A Bradford man has had 65 stitches put in his face and head following an horrific attack outside a nightclub.

Doctors have said 20-year-old James Marshall will be scarred for life following the attack.

Mr Marshall, of Idle, said about 15 men attacked him, smashed three bottles over his head and repeatedly kicked him as he lay on the ground.

He was visiting the new nightclub Barcelona, near the Showcase cinema in Birstall, with some friends. They wanted to see what it was like with a view to celebrating his 21st birthday there in two weeks' time.

"It's a great club," said Mr Marshall, who works at a Bradford printing firm. "We'd had a great time but we got separated while getting our coats.

"I went outside and walked up to a group to see if my friends were there. When I saw they weren't I turned away, but someone shouted: 'Are you starting?' and I looked at them.

"One of them got a bottle out and smashed it on the floor. I went towards him to grab it to stop him. But I got hit from behind."

Mr Marshall said an ambulance was already in the car park at 2am on Sunday. Paramedics patched him up and he came back to Bradford and then on to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

A plastic surgeon put 50 stitches in his face, and 15 more in his head.

The 20-year-old's mother, Pat Green-wood, said she was shocked when she saw her son come home.

"It was awful," she said. "There was no need for the attack."

General manager at the Barcelona, Jeremy Pardey, said: "The first we knew about the incident was when everyone had left the premises and we heard that Mr Marshall had been attacked outside the club.

"We have 24-hour surveillance cameras on the outside of the premises and we obviously can't cover every centimetre. We also employ security staff.

"Where Mr Marshall was attacked was about 30 yards away from the club and this really comes out of our remit."

Police described the attack as "horrific" and appealed for witnesses.

They are looking for a white male, 5ft 6ins to 5ft 7ins, slightly built, with brown hair with a centre parting and sideburns. He was wearing a purple shirt, with light blue jeans.

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