Police are investigating a string of suspected homophobic assaults following the Brighton Pride 2001 gay festival.

Some thugs are thought to have travelled into the city specifically to target homosexuals.

The festival procession from the seafront to Preston Park was peaceful and considered highly successful, but troubled flared later on Saturday.

An eye witnesses to one attack, in St James's Street, Brighton, said: "It was horrendous.

"It started when a group of 15 to 20 from outside the Kemp Town area of Brighton walked down George Street to target people coming out of the Queens Arms. They were shouting Nazi slogans and making anti-gay comments.

"I think one of the gay guys started to stick up for himself and then there was a lot of pushing and shoving, and as they walked into St James's Street the gay guy was attacked. He was being kicked in the head as he lay on the ground.

"About six police vans arrived and officers did a magnificent job. It is disgraceful that something like this should happen."

Two men were later arrested.

In another attack, at 11.40pm in Queens Road, a man was left unconscious and bleeding in the street with serious head injuries.

A police spokesman said a group of four men were initially subjected to verbal abuse from two others.

The pair chased the the group into North Road and one of them leaped on to a man's back and forced him to the ground.

The victim was then kicked and punched and lost consciousness. He was left bleeding heavily from his head.

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital and was expected to remain there for several days.

A second victim was chased across Queens Road and pushed into a shopfront. He suffered cuts.

Both offenders were white and in their late teens or early 20s. One wore a distinctive white tracksuit-type jacket with the word Hackett on the back.

The attackers are thought to have run off towards Brighton railway station.

Police are treating the attack as homophobic and officers are investigating other reports of suspected 'gay bashing' incidents, including one in Madeira Drive near Duke's Mound.

Door staff at a pub were involved in a brawl with a group of men apparently causing a disruption.

Trouble flared at the Charles Street pub near Marine Parade at 8.23pm yesterday.

One onlooker said he thought the group began insulting the gay clientele and were told to leave by the doormen. A fight then broke out.

Police said glasses and bottles were involved but no one was seriously hurt and victims did not want to press charges.