VIOLENCE erupted as a man started punching people in Hove.

A fight broke out between a group of men near the Co-op in Western Road, Hove, at about 8.20pm this evening.

Aeden Cormack, 25, who lives in Western Road witnessed the fight.

He said: “I have never seen a man so angry.

“Two homeless men were shouting at each other and a man went up to them to join in.

“He then got really aggressive and was punching.

“A girl trying to intervene ended up with a bloody nose.”

The Argus:

Mr Cormack said the aggressive man threw a bike into oncoming traffic and then attacked the owner.

He said: “He was red in the face, it looked like he was going to burst he was so angry.”

Pauline Moss, 19, who lives in Western Road said the fight was intense and stopped many people in their tracks.

She said: “He was so aggressive.

“I was worried for people in the area.

“I don’t know if he was on drugs or had been drinking, but he was completely out of control.”

The Argus:

A passer-by who asked not to be named, said: “I can’t believe this is happening in Hove.

“I don’t know what happened to the homeless guys that this guy approached, they seemed to have walked off.

“They had dogs and I am so glad someone intervened at one point to pull the dogs aside.

“They were going mental.

“It was very dramatic for a school night.”

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A man was arrested following the violence. About six policemen detained a man and carried him into a police van.

One witness said: “The police tied him up like a plank and put a bag over his head while he was fizzing.

“He was spitting at them and threatening to headbutt them, even while they were carrying him into the van like a fish.”

One police car initially attended the incident at 8.20pm, but two more vehicles, including a van, were called for assistance.

A police spokesman said: “We were called to an incident in Western Road at 8.21pm this evening.

“A fight broke out between a group of males.

“One male was detained because he became very aggressive towards the police. 

“He had to be transported in a police van.

“He's been arrested and is in custody and will be interviewed later.”