THESE are the faces of two men wanted after a couple were mugged as they walked home from a nightclub.

The man and woman, both aged 23, were approached by their two attackers , one of whom warned them: “This is a mugging.”

The male victim was then punched repeatedly to his face while the robber’s accomplice dragged his girlfriend away and pushed her to the floor.

He then kicked her and made threats to kill and rape her. Police say other threats were made that suggested the robbers were carrying knives, but no blades were seen.

A doctor’s vehicle pulled over to help the victims shortly after the ordeal finished between 2am and 3am on New Year’s Day in Southampton. The couple were left bruised with cuts and grazes and the woman also suffered swelling and whiplash-type injuries.

The muggers got away with a Canon digital camera worth £130, a Nokia mobile phone, a BlackBerry Curve phone worth £200 and a scarf, jacket and gloves.

Police have now released e-fits of the pair they are hunting and are urging anyone who saw what happened at the junction of Dukes Road with Thomas Lewis Way to come forward.

The first suspect is described as black, around 25 years old, 6ft 1in tall and medium to stocky build. He had jaw-length dreadlocks and was possibly wearing a woolly hat.

The second man was white, in his mid 20s, 6ft tall and of medium build. He had stubble on his chin and cheeks and spoke with a local accent. He had a red mountain bike with white or silver coloured stripes on.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Matt Buck at Hulse Road police station on 101.