A series of violent assaults at Looe in the early hours of Sunday have prompted an appeal from town mayor David Bryan.

The police are linking the three assaults which cllr Bryan said had shocked town councillors. He said the thoughts of the council were with the victims and they wished them well.

'Looe has been trying hard to promote itself with its Love Looe promotion and incidents like this destroy Looe's good image,' he said. 'Looe is normally a safe happy town to visit.'

He appealed for witnesses to contact the police as soon as possible.

The first assault happened outside the Ship Inn in Fore Street, East Looe, at around midnight in which a 32-year-old Liskeard woman was knocked unconscious and suffered a black eye and a cut nose.

Two more assaults then occurred in Buller Street in which a 27-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man were attacked in the street by a group of two women and three men.

The couple sustained serious injuries after being punched and kicked to the ground. They were then dragged into an alley where the assaults continued.

The female victim suffered a hairline fracture to her arm, and a laceration to her skull. The man suffered a cracked rib, two swollen eyes and cheeks and cuts to his nose, lips and eyebrow.

Police arrested three people, a 23-year-old Plymouth woman, and a 29-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man, both from Liskeard, who were later released on police bail until September 9.

'This is a particularly nasty series of events which is unusual for the area,' he said. 'We are particularly interested in hearing from any witnesses dining in Zute Restaurant on Buller Street at the time. Although three arrests were made we are still seeking the identity of two other male suspects.'

Anyone with any information, please call 101.