Gabrielle Walsh was out with a friend in Manchester when men approached

She told one she wasn't interested, sparking horrific attack which cut her eye

Following hospital treatment, here friends have launched a hunt for attacker

Gabrielle Walsh was attacked on a night out after telling a man she wasn't interested

A teenager was punched unconscious on a night out after she told a man who was following her: 'I'm sorry, I'm not interested'.

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Gabrielle Walsh, 18, was approached by the attacker and two other men when she was out in central Manchester with a friend on Saturday night.

The two girls walked away from the men, but they kept following them and trying to talk to them, Gabrielle said.

In an attempt to get the men to go away, Gabrielle told them 'I'm sorry, I'm not interested'.

But her comments sparked a row which led to one of the men turning violent.

College student Gabrielle said: 'They kept harassing us. I was saying to [my friend] Kyle: "Let's go". Then he hit me - he fully knocked me out.

'When I woke up I was on the floor and the three of them had jumped on Kyle as well.

The pair were helped by volunteers from the Village Angels community safety group, who provided first aid.

Gabrielle needed hospital treatment after she was attacked near Canal Street, Manchester

Gabrielle needed hospital treatment after she was attacked near Canal Street, Manchester

Miss Walsh, pictured before the attack, says she fears women like her will fear going out

Gabrielle said: 'They tried to get me an ambulance but they said it was a two-hour wait so I just got a taxi to hospital.

'They didn't do much, they basically just gave me some eye drops and told me to go home.

'I went back to the eye hospital today and they said I've got a blood clot on my eye. It still can't really see out of it, when I open my eye all I see is yellow.'

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A friend posted images of her injuries and an account of what happened on social media which has since been shared hundreds of times.

Gabrielle, who said the attack had left her fearful of going out in public on her own, added: 'I'm not a rude person, I just said: "Sorry I'm not interested".

'I think it was a jealousy, ego thing because I rejected him in front of his friends.'

The attack unfolded near Manchester's Canal Street on Saturday night

She added: 'Girls feel like they can't say "no". They feel like if they say no then they might hurt you and in this case it was true.

'It's scared me, I'm scared to go out, I've always got to be with somebody.'

The attacker is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, and was wearing a pink t-shirt.

Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council's city centre spokesperson, condemned the attack and said he would see if officials can help identify the attacker through CCTV.

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Cllr Karney said: 'I am horrified to hear about this horrific attack. 'We will check our CCTV system to see if we can identify the attacker.'