POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a Waterside youth was viciously beaten up outside Gang Warily Recreation Centre at Fawley.

Sixteen-year-old Jake Voller was attacked from behind as he walked through the centre car park. He was left unconscious with his jaw smashed and an eyelid split.

Police at Hythe think his assailant may have used a boot to inflict such severe wounds on the teenager, a former Hardley School pupil who had been due to start his first job this week.

Recovering at his home in The Fowey, Blackfield, Jake asked for anyone to come forward who saw what happened to him on the evening of Friday, October 18 at about 7.30pm.

"The funfair was on across the road from Gang Warily and there were loads of people about," he said.

"I had just left a couple of friends and was walking into the car park at the sports centre when I was hit. I don't remember anything until I was having my eyelid glued together in the General Hospital.

"The police think I may have been kicked in the head. I've got a metal plate in my jaw and I needed a wisdom tooth removed. It was like I had a tennis ball in my mouth, and I still can't eat solid food.

"And I'm really depressed that I can't play football for my team - Blackfield and Langley - for the next three weeks," said Jake.

His mother Heather is still shocked at the intensity of the attack on her son.

"Jake is a likeable friendly lad. I can't get over the viciousness of it. The person who did this must be an animal," she said.

Hythe police PC Sharon France said witness evidence was urgently needed to solve the case.

"We don't know how many people were involved in the incident, or why it happened," she said.

"All we know is that this young man was on his way from the fair last Friday and ended up so severely assaulted that he needs a metal plate to hold his jaw together.

"We know people were in and out of the recreation centre at this time, and there were a lot of people at the fairground. Someone must have seen something going on."

If you saw anything which might help the police, contact the Hythe station via 0845 045 4545.