Two men suffered serious head injuries in what police believe was a homophobic attack in Brighton.

The older victim, aged 42, was last night unconscious with a suspected broken neck and swelling to his brain in the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

The other victim, aged 29, was also treated at the hospital and is recovering from head injuries. Both were robbed and police believe they were targeted because of the way they were dressed.

They were attacked in St James's Street when two men, who had followed them, attacked them and kicked them several times in the head outside a video shop near the junction with St James's Avenue.

Detective Inspector Andy Young said it was a "vicious and apparently unprovoked attack". He is treating it as a homophobic incident.

The first of the attackers, who were both white, had dark collar-length hair and wore trainers and a dark jacket with a light-coloured motif.

The second suspect was shorter with light, short hair and wore a shirt hanging over his light-coloured trousers.

If you saw anything, or if you noticed two men who had blood on their clothing, contact Brighton CID on 0845 6070999.

There have been an increasing number of attacks in the St James's Street area, including an assault in August on a 29-year-old man who needed 26 stitches to his head.

Last year, a man was attacked by a gang of youths wielding a knife and a broken bottle and shouting anti-gay taunts.