A gang of teenage girls, who attacked a homeless man in March last night, are being hunted by police.

Police launched an appeal for witnesses to the assault that began at the shelter near the public toilets and continued into a nearby alley.

A witness at the scene, who was left deeply upset, said he was cycling along the path when he saw a gang, mainly girls, surround the man and corner him.

The man was knocked to the ground where they then kicked him in his head, he said.

Two residents told how some of the girls laughed at the victim.

Some of the attackers were seen running off into West End Park, looping back into town past the library, then back to the shelter in town centre.

At least one of the girls made off in a silver car following the attack.

An ambulance was called to the incident at the back of Barclays Bank, but the man, who collapsed and had received facial injuries, refused treatment.

The incident happened at about 8.20pm on Monday (July 23).

Residents reported hearing a disturbance and thought it was “kids mucking about” but said they were shocked when they saw it was a man being attacked, they say mostly by girls.

They rushed out to help the man once they realised what was going on.

The area where the trouble began, at the shelter near the town bridge traffic lights, is covered by CCTV.

A Cambs police spokesman said: “Police were called following an assault on a footpath beside Gray’s Lane, March, in which a man has reportedly been punched several times in the face resulting in serious facial injuries.

“Ambulance services attended. The victim, a man in his 40s, was treated at the scene but refused further medical treatment.”

• Anyone with information regarding this incident should call police on 101 quoting 35/17093/18 or visit www.cambs.police.uk/report. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.