A Shoreham man who had part of his ear bitten off when he went to the aid of a woman has been hailed a hero.

Nathan Hunt, 22, is still recovering in hospital after being attacked as he tried to protect the woman from assault.

Mr Hunt, a driver for security firm Securicor, confronted a man he saw attacking the woman in West Street, Brighton, in the early hours of Sunday.

The man grabbed him in a bear-hug, gnawed off the top third of his ear and spat it on to the road.

Mr Hunt was rushed to hospital where doctors carried out emergency surgery but were unable to re-attach the piece of ear.

He lives in Mansell Road, Shoreham, with his parents, who spent yesterday at his bedside in a specialist unit at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

His father David Hunt, 56, said: "It's a terrible thing to have happened. He was trying to stop a girl being beaten - he is that sort of lad.

"His heart has always been in the right place but his head should have been too. You just can't do this kind of thing any more. It's sad but that's the way it is."

He added: "Nathan was very shocked when it happened. It's a very bad wound and very unpleasant and shocking to see. We are angry but then again, it doesn't pay to be angry."

He said doctors were planning a second operation to ensure the wound was clean ahead of any possible plastic surgery.

He said: "Apparently the worst bite you can get is a human one so he is having another operation to make sure it doesn't get infected.

"They can't try to do any plastic surgery until it is healed."

Nathan's mother, Tina Hunt, 48, said: "I am proud that he went to help. I don't think he regrets it and he would probably do the same again. He's a very gentle guy and not at all aggressive.

"The doctors have said it's a very nasty bite and the top third of his ear is gone. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that they will be able to do the plastic surgery."

Police are still hunting the attacker, who detectives described as aged 28 and muscular. He wore a grey cardigan, which he left at the scene.