A MAN needed emergency surgery after his ear was bitten off in bar room fight at the Limelight Club in Tyldesley.

Tony Jeffries was at the Lime Street night club with his girlfriend last Friday when, during a fight with a fellow reveller, he had part of his left ear bitten off.

Both men were asked to leave the club immediately, but when Mr Jeffries realised part of his ear was missing, doormen retrieved it and packed it in ice.

Mr Jeffries, a 31-years-old local man, was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where he had the ear sewn back on. He is now recovering at home in Tyldesley.

Josephine Riley, who was in charge at the Limelight at the time said: "We don't usually get any trouble here. I didn't see anything as the doormen dealt with it, but the lad was bleeding all down his face."

DC Mark Sanderson said: "This man suffered a particularly nasty injury which will leave him scarred for the rest of his life. Since the incident we have had a poor response to witness appeals which I find very hard to understand as at the time the Club was extremely busy.

"We are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who was in the club that night who may have seen what happened."

Anyone with information should contact Leigh CID on 0161 856 7253 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.