A man is in hospital in Cork having had two fingers and a thumb cut off during a serious assault in Waterford city yesterday afternoon.

A 20-year-old man was attacked by at least two men at Priory Lawn estate in the city at 2.50pm.

He was beaten before either a saw or a large knife was used to cut off two of his fingers and his thumb.

The attackers then fled in a stolen car, which gardaí later found and which is now being examined.

The injured man was taken to University Hospital Waterford and then transferred to Cork University Hospital, where he has undergone surgery.

Gardaí are yet to make any arrests but are conducting house-to-house inquiries.