A self-employed builder whose face was smashed in a frightening unprovoked attack said he never thought it could happen in the quiet York village where he lived.

Wayne Harman, 29, was today undergoing surgery to reconstruct his face after he suffered four fractures to his cheekbone, a broken nose and a chipped jaw.

He was knocked to the floor by a muscular attacker, with an unusual chain necklace tattoo around his neck, who punched him as he waited for a bus in Strensall.

Wayne, who cannot return to work for at least four weeks, said: " I just hope that we can get this guy because I don't want this to happen to anyone else.

"I've lived in Strensall for 23 years, but I've never heard of anyone being jumped like this or any serious trouble. It's just mad."

Detective Constable Mark Jackson said this was a "totally random and unprovoked attack" and urged residents to get in touch with any information they might have. He said: "Obviously this man is marked as the necklace tattoo is very distinctive and that makes him identifiable. Surely someone will have seen him in the village at this time."

The attack occurred at 9pm on Wednesday at the bus stop near the village chip shop.

The attacker, who was with two other men, was white, aged in his mid-30s, about 6ft tall, with short dark brown hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans. All three men were well-built and wearing similar clothes.

Meanwhile, police are trying to trace two young women who helped a 41-year-old fairground worker when he was seriously injured in a mass brawl in York earlier this year.

The Nottinghamshire man was hospitalised for 13 weeks suffering broken ribs and a punctured liver after being hit with an iron bar in the 20-man fight in Toft Green on June 6, at 3am.

If you are one of the women, or if you can help track down the Strensall attacker, phone York Police on 01904 631321 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.

Updated: 08:25 Monday, September 22, 2003