POLICE are keen to speak to a group of teenagers after a 21-year-old Newton Aycliffe man was left with severe head injuries.

The injured man has no memory of the vicious assault on him, which took place between 6pm and 7.45pm on Sunday.

He had been walking home after stopping to smoke a cigarette on a playing field close to Woodham Burn Junior School, and the next thing he remembers is waking up in a pool of blood.

Police are keen to speak to a group of 13 to 18-year-olds who were playing football on the field at the time of the incident, in order to eliminate them from their inquiries.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said the last thing he remembers is walking towards Burn Lane.

"The next thing I knew I was looking down at myself covered in blood, with one trainer missing and my gold necklace gone," he said.

"It is one big haze. I am concerned about what happened because a lot of innocent people tend to hang around the Burn area, and it is not right that this sort of thing happens."

After alerting his grandfather, who also lives in Newton Aycliffe, the man was taken to Bishop Auckland General Hospital and received treatment for a head injury.

A police spokesman said: "It looks like a sharp instrument was used to scalp him."

Police are asking anyone with information, including the group of teenagers, to telephone (01325) 314401.