White man bottled and teenager punched in second unprovoked Asian gang race hate attack in just days



A white man was hit with a bottle and his teenage friend punched in a race hate attack by a gang of Asians, it emerged today.

The pair were set upon on a footpath near a retail park in Rochdale, Greater Manchester - the second such brutal attack within days.



A 21-year-old man was hit with a bottle before being repeatedly kicked and punched to the head and body as he lay on the ground. His 16-year-old friend was also punched in the face.



The canal towpath in Rochdale near to where the 16-year-old and 21-year-old were attacked

It follows reports of a similar incident in Hyde, Greater Manchester, in which trainee chef Dan Stringer was repeatedly kicked and punched by a mob of up to eight people after he was chased down a street.

Mr Stringer has undergone surgery and is now in a stable condition following the attack on Saturday. A 21-year-old man has been charged with assault in connection with the incident.

The second unconnected assault in Rochdale happened at about 8.15pm on Saturday, January 28.

Both victims were walking with friends towards a canal towpath off Sandbrook Retail Park in Edinburgh Way when they were approached from behind by three men.

The three assailants ran at them, causing a number of the group to run off while the two victims continued to walk.

Their attackers later ran off in the direction of Deeplish.

One man is described as being Asian, in his mid-20s, around 5ft 10in, with black hair. He wore a long white coat with two pockets over the knees.

Daniel Stringer, pictured with his mother Cheryl, was beaten up and left for dead by a gang in Hyde, Manchester

The second man is described as being Asian and of stocky build. He wore a black jacket with bright orange stitching on the shoulders and arms.

The third man is described as being Asian.

Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, as perceived by the victims, though no racist or other comments were directed at either victim.

Detective Constable Ben Harris from Rochdale CID said: 'This was a completely unprovoked and relentless attack that has left both victims shocked by their ordeal. The 21-year-old man needed hospital treatment for his injuries and the 16-year-old boy was left with visible facial injuries.

'I can understand why this has caused concern within the community. However, we cannot speculate why they were attacked and I do not want anyone to presume this has happened for a specific reason.

'I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the attack or may have seen the offenders running in the direction of Deeplish, near to the towpath, to contact police.'

Mr Stringer's family issued pictures of the 17-year-old's bloodied face in his hospital bed after he was left for dead when he was chased through a busy town centre and set upon by up to eight men.

He was repeatedly kicked and punched in the head and left in the road, bleeding and barely conscious, as the gang melted away into the night.

Mr Stringer before the attack, and in hospital having suffered severe facial injuries



He suffered a fractured skull and fractured eye socket and the nerves behind his eyes have been damaged meaning he could be left with impaired vision.

His mother, Cheryl Stringer, said: 'I wish someone would tell me why they left my baby for dead in the road. I'm lucky to still have him.



'We don't know the extent of the damage behind his eye until his swelling goes down.



'He then needs plastic surgery on the eye socket that they broke in two places. He also has several fractures to his cheek that need plastic surgery and he also has a fractured skull.



'It's going to be a long, long battle for my gorgeous boy. I still can't understand why they left him in the road to die.'



Daniel, still in great pain, told how he was cornered by the gang after they chased him through the town.



'They were older than me,' he said. 'One of them grabbed me. He hit me in the face and that's about all I can remember.

