A vicious axe attack has left a York man in hospital with a broken leg and other serious injuries.

Dean Brennan, who is believed to be in his 30s and from the Clifton area, was attacked in Burton Stone Lane on Saturday night.

A police spokesman said there had been an altercation earlier on between two men and that the victim had been attacked as he walked home at around midnight.

A friend of Mr Brennan said that he had been visited by well-wishers in hospital over the past few days.

She said his injuries included a broken leg caused by the axe, deep cuts on his other leg and four or five axe wounds on his back.

Today locals told of gouges in the road at the scene of the attack where the axe had been wielded with such force.

The long-handled axe used in the assault has not been found.

One man has been arrested and released following the assault.

And in a separate incident punches were thrown during a fracas between on and off-duty bouncers outside another York drinking hole.

Police were today appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened outside the Gallery nightclub on Clifford Street at around 12.50am yesterday.

Sergeant Colin Moreton said two off-duty doormen and two women were leaving the Gallery when they became involved in a confrontation with the club's bouncers.

"There will have been other members of the public in the area at the time and we need to speak to anyone who may have seen what happened," said Sgt Moreton.

The off-duty doormen and the two women were arrested at the scene and are currently on police bail.

If you have any information, contact Sgt Moreton on York 631321.

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