11:30am Wednesday 4th November 2009
By Ben Parsons, Crime Reporter
A man was left fighting for his life after a bottle was smashed into his face and neck.
Friends gave life-saving first aid as the teenager lay stricken outside a railway station.
Police, who said the attack was unprovoked, arrested a man yesterday but have appealed for the public’s help finding the bottle.
The attack took place in Terminus Road, Littlehampton, at about 12.15am on Sunday.
The victim, who was described as in his late teens, was standing in the street with friends after missing their train home.
A man approached them and spoke to them, before thrusting a bottle into the victim’s face and neck.
He was left bleeding heavily from deep cuts. The attacker ran off up Albert Road.
Police are appealing for people living in the area to check if a broken bottle was dumped in their gardens or around their homes.
Police arrested a 20-year-old man, who lives in Littlehampton, in Hampshire yesterday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
He was being questioned in custody last night.
Police have carried out house-to-house inquiries but said they still want witnesses to come forward.
They want to hear from anyone who was in Terminus Road at the time of the attack and anyone who finds the broken bottle.
DS John Witt said: “This is one of the nastiest assaults of this type that I have seen.
“It is just a matter of look that the consequences were not more serious.”
Anyone with information is asked to call DC Jamie Carruthers of Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 quoting serial 69 of November 1.
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