By Benedict O'Connor and Dave GooderhamREVELLERS celebrating the New Year could hold the key to solving a potentially life-threatening stabbing attack, police have revealed.

By Benedict O'Connor and Dave Gooderham

REVELLERS celebrating the New Year could hold the key to solving a potentially life-threatening stabbing attack, police have revealed.

A 22-year-old man was attacked and stabbed in the chest during an assault in the early hours of New Year's Day in Beck Row, near Mildenhall.

The man, who has not been named, has been treated for a single stab wound to the chest at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, where his condition was described yesterday as stable.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said they were making a direct appeal to late-night partygoers whom they believed might have witnessed the attack.

Beck Row Parish Council chairman Phillip Haylock joined police in appealing to the public to come forward with any information.

"I think the whole village will be quite shocked and it appears that the man is lucky to be alive," said Mr Haylock.

"I am very concerned about this and it is a very disappointing start to the New Year. In Beck Row we are very blessed that we have very little of this kind of nonsense – we are very lucky like that.

"It is a sad way to start 2005 and I just hope this is just an isolated incident and not something that will be repeated in the next 12 months.

"I also hope the victim makes a speedy recovery and I would urge any witnesses to come forward and help the police."

The attack took place near the Smoke House and the Bird in the Hand pubs between 1.30am and 2.30am on New Year's Day.

Anyone with information should contact Pc Andy Pearle, of Suffolk police, on 01473 613500.

n Police have released a security camera image of a man whom they want to trace following an assault on a 26-year-old man.

The victim was punched and fell to the ground as a result of the incident in High Street, Newmarket, at about 10.20pm on December 23.

He was walking along the road when he became involved in an argument with a man using a mobile phone. The victim carried on walking, but his assailant ran up behind him and punched him.

The 26-year-old was taken to West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, and was kept in overnight for observations.

Pc Chris Thomas, of Suffolk police, said: "This was a particularly nasty incident that left the man needing hospital treatment for a cut to the head."

Anyone with information should contact Newmarket police on 01284 774100.