A man was left with part of his ear hanging off following an assault in Whitehaven.

Jordan Forrester, 23, had to undergo reconstructive surgery in Newcastle after being attacked by three males.

It happened near to the taxi rank in Duke Street in the early hours of Sunday morning.

His girlfriend, Bethany Curwen, is appealing for anyone with information about his attackers - or CCTV footage - to come forward.

She said Jordan doesn't remember much about the attack, but doctors believe the injuries were caused by a stamp to the head.

Bethany said: "It makes to sick to your stomach that there are humans out there that would do this."

She explained that she and Jordan were out in Whitehaven town centre on Saturday night, but she came home early.

Bethany, a student nurse who lives near the West Cumberland Hospital, was then awoken by a phone call in the early hours of Sunday.

"He said I'm in A&E. I thought he was joking at first because he is a bit of a joker, but he was serious," she said.

"He told me he'd been jumped twice by the same three lads. He'd been left with his ear hanging off."

Bethany said he was left with a laceration to his forehead, the back of his ear torn and his earlobe ripped in two.

"There was a big cut in his earlobe, which was hanging off, an a rip in the back of his ear.

"The skin was split as if someone had stamped on his head," she explained.

Staff in A&E were able to glue it together, but he then needed surgery at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

She has since been trying to piece together exactly what happened, and is appealing for help from the public.

Bethany explained that Jordan had gone to Chatanooga for a kebab after the night out.

He remembers laughing and joking with other customers, then a man with glasses arguing with him.

The same man later confronted him outside, joined by two others.

They then attacked him again at the taxi rank.

"He's a happy chap. He loves going out and having a laugh. He's not the type to get in fights," said Bethany.

"He's back at home now and is really shaken up about it all. He's not the person he was.

"If these lads will do it to Jordan, they could do it to someone else and leave them brain-damaged.

"Someone must know who they are."

Police have confirmed that a man was assaulted in the early hours of Sunday.

Officers are still investigating the incident.

They have asked anyone with information to call PC 2560 Lisa McMullan on 101.