A 17-year-old youth was stabbed as he tried to protect his friend from being assaulted during an unprovoked attack .

The teenager was walking outside the Sir Robert Peel pub, in Sunny Bank Road, Whitefield, with a pal when they were approached by three men with scarves wrapped round their faces.

The gang started punching and kicking his friend. When the teenager tried to intervene, he was stabbed in the left side and suffered a one inch puncture wound.

He was taken to hospital but released after treatment.

The two men were described as around 20 years, between 5ft 6ins and 6ft and were wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information about the incident, which happened on Saturday at about 9.30pm, are asked to call Bury CID on 0161 856 8150.