The son of the late soccer tycoon, Matthew Harding, was one of seven men who suffered knife wounds in a seafront attack.

Luke Harding, a 20-year-old plumber, sustained four puncture wounds and needed hospital treatment before being allowed to return to his home in Ditchling.

His mother, Ruth, widow of the late Chelsea FC vice-chairman who died in a helicopter crash in 1996, told The Argus: "Luke is okay. He is being cared for by me and his stepfather, Richard.

"We want to thank the emergency services and the Royal Sussex County Hospital for all they did. Police were there very quickly and they were all really helpful."

Mr Harding and six others were injured in the attack in Brighton at 2.30am on Sunday.

Police said 15 men and one woman were involved: a group of ten men from Sheerness and Sittingbourne in Kent, who were getting into a minibus on the concourse near the Palace Pier, and about five men and one woman from Burgess Hill.

Police said knives and possibly bottles were used, leaving one man from Burgess Hill with a punctured lung. Five men from Burgess Hill and two from Kent were taken to the county hospital with stab wounds. Three have been discharged but two are still in hospital.

All ten from Kent, who are aged 19 to 50, were arrested and taken to the John Street police station for questioning. All were bailed.

Detective Inspector Russ Bagley said: "It was a nasty incident. There appears to have been an exchange of words which resulted in a melee.

"We have not recovered the knives used."

Police cordoned off the pier on Sunday morning while they searched for the knives. It reopened in the afternoon.

Detective Sergeant Dobs O'Brien said: "It is unusual to have so many people involved in this type of incident."

Police are appealing for witnesses.