POLICE have taped off a park in Southampton after a man was attacked and left with head injuries.

The 45-year-old was found unconscious in Mansel Park with lacerations to his head after the attack at about 11.30pm.

A South Central Ambulance Service crew were called to the scene and rushed the man to hospital for treatment.

He has since been discharged.

A 26-year-old man from Southampton has been arrested in connection with the attack.

Appealing for information, Detective Sergeant Ricky Dhanda said: “Were you in the Mansel Park area last night? Did you see or hear anything? We are urging anyone with information to come forward by calling 101 quoting 44150350259.” 

An area around the basketball courts in the park in Millbrook remains cordoned off, with a police officer standing guard.

Witnesses said they were surprised and confused at the cordon.

Melissa Cannons, 21, a student at Portsmouth University, from Mansel Road East, walks her dog around the park and said: "Millbrook has got quite a bad reputation in a way.

"Since we have been growing up there have been stories about stuff like domestic disturbances and a couple of stabbings.

"But most of the time I think it's fine.

"If we find out that this is something serious I would be concerned and I'm guessing it wasn't something small because they have roped off a big area."

Her twin brother Scott Cannons, 21, unemployed also from Mansel Road East, said: "I am a bit surprised by the cordon, I want to know what is going on.

"There's been more police around the area recently."

Paula Wells, 58, a security officer from Kendal Avenue, said: "I am a bit worried by the cordon, we get police down here maybe a couple of times a week.

"It has got to the point now that if I hear sirens going off I'm used to it.

"I'm a bit nervous because we would not normally see a cordon round here unless it was something really bad."