A Sussex man has told how his birthday night out ended in an assault which left part of his ear hanging off by threads.

Engineer Gary Russell needed 40 stitches to rebuild his ear after a thug smashed a broken bottle round his head.

Mr Russell, from Uckfield, was celebrating his 23rd birthday with friends in Brighton when he was attacked from behind.

He was trying to separate two women who were fighting when he felt what he thought was a punch to the side of his head.

Speaking at his home, he said: "I was going to confront the man when I spotted blood spurting out of my neck. I looked down and my shirt was covered in blood."

His ear had been sliced open and several blood vessels in his neck were severed. An off-duty nurse stemmed the bleeding with tissues until an ambulance arrived.

Mr Russell spent three days at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, with his girlfriend Maria, a 19-year-old hotel worker, by his bedside.

Mr Russell called the attacker a "coward" for using a weapon.

He said: "I've been to Brighton before for nights out and never had any trouble. I won't be put off from going to the city again but I'll be more wary in future."

He said the trouble flared in Creation night club in West Street late on Saturday night.

Mr Russell and his friends left and were walking away. They were outside the nearby Joint club when a woman started fighting with one of his female friends.

He said: "The two were on the ground and I went to separate them when the attacker's boyfriend hit me."

His friends chased the attacker but lost him in nearby Cranbourne Street.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove police said: "Gary's injuries could have been life-threatening and we are anxious to trace his attacker."

The attacker was white, 18, 5ft 10in and slim. He had a French crop hairstyle with a fringe over his eyebrows.

The spokeswoman said: "The assault happened just after midnight and there were many people in the area."

Witnesses should call Brighton and Hove CID on 0845 6070999.