POLICE are appealing for information following an attempted robbery in which a man was repeatedly headbutted by a masked attacker in a York street.

The incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday in Grosvenor Road, near York Hospital. The 23-year-old victim was on his way home with his girlfriend when he was approached by a man who demanded cash and a mobile phone.

The man refused and the attacker headbutted him in the face while his girlfriend stood and watched in horror. The attacker then rode off on a bike, without stealing anything.

The victim was treated for facial injuries by paramedics.

Police are now issuing an appeal for witnesses to the attack, which happened at about 2.30am.

They are hunting a man described as a white male, who was wearing blue tracksuit bottoms, a hooded sweatshirt and a balaclava.

Colin Ventress, of York Police, said: “We would ask anyone with any information to come forward and help police with their inquiries.”

Anyone who may have witnessed the attack, was in Grosvenor Road at the time of the incident, or recognises the description of the attacker is asked to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555777.

The attack follows a series of similar assaults in the city centre.

Police are also hunting a man following a daylight street attack in which a man was punched to the floor. The incident happened last Friday in Lord Mayors’ Walk, in York’s city centre, just before 3pm.

The male victim was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a man in his late 30s. The attacker, on a gold racing bike, punched the man in his neck and then rode off in the direction of the city centre.

He is described as a white male, aged between 35-years-old and 45-years old, 6ft tall, had grey, short, curly hair and a greying beard and was wearing a long cream jacket, blue jeans and a blue T-shirt.

In a separate incident, police are appealing for information after a man punched someone in the face in another early morning robbery on Monday morning.

The attack took place on Blossom Street outside the Odeon cinema between 2.15am and 2.30am. The offender approached the male 20-year-old victim and demanded he handed over his mobile phone. The attacker then punched the victim twice in the face before grabbing the Samsung LC touch screen phone and running off in the direction of Holgate Road.