A GANG ambushed a man and beat him unconscious while he was waiting for a taxi to take him home from a night out.

Andrew Llewellyn was enjoying a night out with pals on Saturday, February 2, and had stayed in Revolution until closing time at around 4am but while he was waiting for a taxi behind the Mailcoach pub, in Carr Street, just off Fleet Street, he was set upon out of the blue.

He suffered a fractured eye socket, a hairline jaw fracture and bruising all over his body where the gang stamped on his torso and neck and he had to be taken to the Great Western Hospital.

The group are then believed to have run off along Villet Street towards Farnsby Street and detectives want to speak to clubbers who might have been in the area and also any taxi drivers.

Andrew, 23, of Pinehurst, said he remembered little about the attack but recalled talking to police earlier in the evening about an assault in Revolution.

He said: “I was out with my girlfriend and some friends.

“We noticed there was quite a lot of trouble in town that night – it seemed to be everywhere and you could feel trouble in the air.

“We went to Revolution and while a guy was taking a picture for us he got hit.

“I went outside to speak to police, who asked me to point out who the guy was and so I nodded over in his direction because he was talking to the police too.

“I was quite drunk so I don’t remember but apparently my girlfriend told me I had an argument with someone when we went back into the club.

“But we did not leave until kick out time and then while I’m waiting behind the Mailcoach they jumped me from nowhere.

“The only thing I can remember is a boot or a trainer hitting my face and then I blacked out after that. My girlfriend, who wasn’t with me at the time but came just afterwards, said she thought I was dead – I wasn’t moving and was covered in blood.

“I feel lucky to have only got away with what are minor injuries in my eyes. My eye is healing and I’m back at work but I have got to have a broken tooth out.”

Andrew, a builder, said he hoped those who attacked would be brought to justice and witnesses would come forward.

PC Phil Hines, of Swindon CID, said: “This was an unprovoked attack and the victim needed hospital treatment.

“We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area of the Mailcoach at this time, especially anyone waiting for taxis at the rear of the building and taxi drivers picking up.

“In particular, police would like to speak to a female taxi driver and the drivers of two taxis seen parked next to each other in Carr Street at the time of the offence.”

Anyone with information should call PC Hines at Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.