AN unidentified man is in intensive care after being found unconscious with head and facial injuries during a weekend of shocking violence in an Essex town.

AN unidentified man is in intensive care after being found unconscious with head and facial injuries during a weekend of shocking violence in an Essex town.

He was found in a garden in Clacton by a passer by at about 5.30am yesterday and rushed to Colchester General Hospital.

Detectives believe he may have been the victim of a robbery because he did not have any possessions and they have appealed for his family or friends to come forward.

It is not known how long the man, whose injuries are serious but not life threatening, had been lying in Stambridge Road.

And in second incident, just one street away, an 18-year-old was beaten with a snooker cue and robbed of his mobile phone in an “appalling” act of violence as a group of people apparently stood by laughing.

Essex Police said there was no evidence to link the two incidents, but said they were “mindful” they could be related.

The teenager is also in hospital in Colchester with suspected fractures to his cheek and jaw after the attack in early hours of yesterday morning.

He had been walking along Pathfields Road in Clacton at about 2.30am when he was punched from behind and kicked to the ground.

He was then kicked and punched several more times and robbed of his Samsung mobile phone and his wallet, that contained just £10.

And it was while he lay dazed on the ground a second man came up and struck his head with a snooker cue.

Essex Police have spoken to the victim, who lives in the town, and he revealed that during the attack he could hear women laughing and believes the muggers were part of a larger group.

Detective Inspector Jim Caulfield, of Clacton police, said: “I am appalled by the unnecessary and gratuitous violence used against this young man.

“To be attacked in the course of the robbery was bad enough but then for a second man to go and hit him about the head with a snooker cue, for no reason, is unbelievable.”

Yesterday CCTV footage was being studied for clues as to the identity of the attackers.

Descriptions have been released of the two muggers - the first was white, 6ft 2ins, thin build with short dark hair. He was wearing a green and black striped rugby shirt.

The second attacker was white and was wearing a black T-shirt and black jeans.

Anyone with information about either incident should contact Clacton police on 01255 221312 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The unidentified injured man is described as white, aged 20-25, and had been wearing blue jeans with a black belt, a cream T-shirt, blue fleece top and white and blue trainers.