DETECTIVES in Blackburn are appealing for witnesses after two pub bouncers were beaten with 'knuckle dusters' in what has been described as a "vicious and totally unprovoked attack".

The incident happened outside O'Neill's bar in King William Street at 11.20pm on Saturday, January 13, but details were only released today.

The 24-year-old man who took the brunt of the attack suffered a broken nose, deep cuts to his forehead and had several teeth knocked out and is being treated at Blackburn Royal Infirmary. His 37-year-old colleague suffered bruising to the face.

Both men are from the Blackburn area and are employed by the Elite Security Agency in Preston. The two attackers ran off towards the Sudell Cross area and the first, who was responsible for the main attack, was of average build and height and wore a white, puffer jacket.

The second was white, 5ft 10ins tall, of average build and wore a three-quarter length black leather, or imitation leather jacket. He also wore a white baseball cap and had shoulder-length brown hair.

Joe Threlfall, operations manager at Elite, said: "We have more than 200 doormen throughout the North and this is the first time I have come across an attack of this sort.

"It was quite a nasty incident and in today's society doorman are being put at more and more risk."

Police are anxious to speak to anyone in the area at the time who may have witnessed the incident.

DC Neil Ashton of Blackburn CID said: "This was a vicious and totally unprovoked attack with no apparent motive we can identify.

"It happened at a time when people would have been coming out of the pubs and should anyone have seen anything they should contact us as soon as possible."

Anyone with any information should speak to DC Neil Ashton or DC Steve Derbyshire on 01254 353586.