A man was punched in the face in an unprovoked late night attack after refusing to give a stranger a cigarette.

The 29-year-old man from Eastbourne was walking home from work along Carew Road in the town between 1.20am and 1.40am on Friday. [20/2] As he reached the junction with Upper Avenue he was approached by a man who appeared to have been drinking and asked him for a cigarette, police said.

When the victim declined to do so, the man punched him in the face without warning or provocation. The man left the victim bruised by his right eye and walked eastward towards Upper Avenue roundabout.

The suspect is described as white, 5’ 10” tall, in his early to mid twenties, with a local accent, and wearing a large dark green possibly blue winter puffa-like jacket but without seams, dark cotton type tracksuit bottoms and a red baseball cap.

PC Chris Yabsley said: "This assault was completely unprovoked and I am hoping the red baseball cap in particular will ring a bell with someone.”

Anyone with information should call 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting 232 of 20/02.