A MAN was savagely beaten on the head with an iron bar in an horrific attack after he attempted to protect a woman by stopping a fight between two armed men.

The incident started when two men had a row in the Royal Oak Hotel, in Southend, Ledbury, at around 11.10pm on Saturday, September 27.

The argument deteriorated into a brawl when the two men, who had been ejected from the pub, met up less than an hour later at around midnight - one with a wooden baton and the other wielding a metal bar.

A woman became entangled in the brawl when she attempted to stop the fight.

Seeing her distress, a passer-by ran to her aid in a bid to put an end to the fracas.

A spokesman for Herefordshire police said: "The man who attempted to stop the fight was hit in the face and back of his head by the man with the iron bar.

"He sustained facial and head injuries which required hospital treatment, including broken teeth, a split lip and mouth and a wound to the back of his head which required nine stitches."

After the man sustained his injuries the fight continued between the two other men.

The man with the metal bar then attacked the man with the wooden baton, before shouting abuse and fleeing the scene, running down nearby Lower Road.

Another man then joined him and they both mounted bicycles and cycled in the direction of Victoria Road.

Police are trying to trace witnesses to either altercation and are appealing for information regarding the man with the metal bar, who is thought to be called Phil.

He is described as being white, around 5ft 10ins tall, stocky and well built and around 20 years old.

He had blond short hair, which was possibly spiky and wore a light-coloured hooded top and blue jeans.

Anyone with information should contact PC Martin Brown at Ledbury Police Station on 08457 444888, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.