A TEENAGER was fighting for his life in hospital last night after he was assaulted in an Essex seaside resort and left with a serious head injury.

Roddy Ashworth

A TEENAGER was fighting for his life in hospital last night after he was assaulted in an Essex seaside resort and left with a serious head injury.

The 18-year old was described as “critically ill” by doctors following the street attack in Walton on the Naze, which happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police said the man, who comes from Clacton, was assaulted outside a food and drink shop on the town's High Street shortly after 2am.

He was taken by ambulance to Colchester General Hospital but he was so gravely ill medics transferred him to Queen's Hospital in Romford, which specialises in serious head injuries.

He has since undergone emergency surgery and was last night described as remaining in a life-threatening condition.

Yesterday detectives appealed to anyone who had been in the area at the time of the attack and who had any information to come forward.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent John Quinton, said: “This man is extremely ill and we, like his family, want to know how this happened and who assaulted him.

“We know there were numerous late-night revellers on the High Street at the time who would have seen a disturbance outside this convenience store. We need them to contact us. This man's family are completely and utterly distraught.”

A section of Walton's High Street was sealed off for 17 hours after the assault while a forensic examination of the crime scene was carried out.

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to contact detectives on 0300 333 4444.