Gang attack horror for Sam (21)

Gym instructor Sam Kane (21) had been on a night out with friends in Bridgwater, Somerset, where he now lives, when he was set upon on the dance floor of a bar called The Gallery around 2am on Monday.

He was punched, kicked and stamped on as he lay bleeding and unconscious on the floor.

“I was on the dance floor with a friend when a girl came dancing next to us.

“I thought it was a bit weird and carried on talking to my friend. All of a sudden both me and my friend were punched in the face.

“Another friend who was at the bar ran over and managed to grab him and get him to the back of the club.

“I was knocked out and the next thing I remember is waking up in a corridor covered in blood with the paramedics around me,” said Sam, who was born in Burnley and whose father Simon Kane, grandma Marie Kane and 15-year-old step-brother still live in Nelson. Although he remembers little of the attack, when he regained consciousness he found he had a bruised and swollen face and had a footprint on the side of his head from being stamped on.

He was rushed to hospital where he was given an X-ray and CT scan. Luckily both revealed no lasting damage but Sam has been unable to work this week because of his injuries.

“It was 100% unprovoked. My friend watched the attack but was unable to help me. There were eight or nine of them, they even blocked the door so that the bouncers couldn’t get to me to help.”

Police are now studying CCTV in a bid to trace the culprits but Sam, who has shared his ordeal on Facebook to help find his attackers, said the incident has left him shaken and reluctant to go into town.

“When I got to the hospital I looked in a mirror and didn’t even recognise myself. The whole thing has left me pretty shaken up but now I’m just focused on trying to help the police find out who did this. I won’t be going out for a long time.”