A GANG of youths left two men badly injured in an apparently unprovoked attack.

The pair were walking to a friend's house in Peterlee when they saw three groups of youths who had been drinking in Gilbert Road, near the Lidl supermarket.

They passed two groups of teenagers without incident but the third gang began shouting abuse. They ignored them but the gangs teamed up and attacked them without warning, said police.

One of the men, a 42-year-old from Peterlee, suffered a broken jaw after being kicked while on the ground.

He was kept in hospital for two days while surgeons inserted a metal plate in his jaw.

His friend, who is 44, suffered severe facial bruising and a possible broken nose.

Police have ruled out robbery as a motive, as nothing was stolen during the attack, at 7.15pm on Friday.

PC Kathryn Davies said: "This appears to have been a vicious and completely unprovoked attack.

"We are hoping there may be witnesses to the attack or other people who may have passed the scene at some other point in the evening and could describe these youths."

Anyone with information is asked to ring Peterlee police on 0845 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.