A gang of teenagers attacked a man in a suspected happy-slapping incident in a busy shopping area.

But the incident turned against the youths as the man fought back and knocked one of them unconscious.

Two of the gang of eight 16 and 17- year-olds had to be taken to hospital and were later arrested.

A third was wanted by Brighton police last night after he climbed onto a roof and threw a brick through a glass skylight.

Victim Curtis Mulcare, from Seven Dials, Brighton, yesterday said he had been determined not to let the "gang of chavs" get away with attacking him.

Salesman Mr Mulcare, 31, said: "These teenagers think they can get away with anything. They don't care about whether they are attacking innocent people, old people or anything.

"Now they know they can't do that."

Mr Mulcare said he had been waiting for a bus at the end of Imperial Arcade, opposite Churchill Square, at 4.05pm yesterday when one of the teenagers slapped him around the face and ran away.

Brighton police said they were investigating the possibility the gang had filmed the incident and would be seizing their mobile phones to check for evidence.

Mr Mulcare chased his attacker down Imperial Arcade and found himself confronted by the whole gang.

He struck out at the teenager and knocked him out before going back to board his bus in Dyke Road.

Two of the gang ran after him and attacked him as he got back out of the bus, which had not been due to leave.

Mr Mulcare fought back again, aided by several members of the public including the bus driver.

In the fracas which followed, one of the teenagers suffered a cut to his head which later required hospital treatment.

The other youngster climbed on to the roof of Imperial Arcade and hurled a brick through the glass which shattered onto the walkway below, narrowly missing shoppers.

He then escaped from the scene as more than 20 police officers arrived to try to contain the incident.

Imperial Arcade was closed for the rest of the day because of the debris.

Mr Mulcare, a former amateur boxer, said: "I can't believe they attacked me.

"I'm a big bloke and I wouldn't have thought I was an obvious victim but they've just got no respect for anyone.

"I hope they've learned their lesson.

They thought it was going to be happyslapping but it didn't end up too happy for them."