A man dressed as a pink bunny was punched and head-butted while handing out leaflets.

The attack on Thomas Rossi has left him wanting to give up wearing the cartoon rabbit costume for a living.

Mr Rossi, 21, was in his luminous pink suit in West Street, Brighton, handing out flyers for nearby Creations nightclub.

A man approached and tweaked his nipples.

Mr Rossi, a psychology student, said the man may have thought he was a girl and "game".

He took his rabbit head off and went to tweak the tweaker back.

"Then he just nutted and punched me.

"It might have been because when I took my head off he realised I was a bloke."

Mr Rossi was knocked backwards and suffered a broken nose and cuts. He received four stitches to a cut inside his mouth at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

He said: "It might seem funny to some but it wasn't to me. I don't think I will be wearing that bunny outfit any more."

Mr Rossi was attacked on Tuesday night, just after 11pm, by a smartly-dressed man.

The suspect was white, 5ft 8in, about 24 with dark brown, short, wavy hair which was brushed down on to his forehead.

He wore a white or cream-coloured shirt and dark trousers.

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact PC Ann Watson on 0845 6070999.