A MAN suffered serious head injuries in a possible assault and two other men were hospitalised after being attacked following a spate of violence in Weymouth town centre.

Detectives are now appealing for witnesses to come forward following the assaults, all of which happened in a short space of time in the early hours of Saturday.

Police said at around 4.15am on Saturday, a man was reportedly assaulted on the Esplanade. The victim, aged in his 20s and from Bridgwater in Somerset, sustained a suspected broken jaw.

Then at about 5.05am police were called by the ambulance service to reports of an assault in Maiden Street in which a local man aged in his 20s sustained serious head injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment. His condition is not believed to be life-threatening.

A 40-year-old local man was arrested nearby on suspicion of two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm and has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Later on Saturday, police were called by staff at Southampton General Hospital who reported that a 27-year-old man had been brought into hospital with serious head injuries.

It is not known whether he sustained the injuries as a result of a fall or an assault. Subsequent enquiries have revealed that the man was in Maiden Street, Weymouth in the early hours of that day.

Detective Constable George Graham, of Weymouth CID, said: “Investigations are now underway into all three incidents and I would urge anyone who was in the Maiden Street area between 3am and 7am on Saturday, September 8 and witnessed an assault or discovered a man with injuries to please contact Dorset Police.”

Community safety briefholder for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council Cllr Mike Byatt described the incidents as 'appalling'.

He said: "We want people to go out and enjoy themselves in our town and it's appalling to hear of incidents like this.

"It's very important if anyone knows anything that they tell the police to help them with the investigation and to enable the offenders to be brought to justice."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police on 101 quoting occurrence number 55180145492.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.