A TEENAGE girl was undergoing reconstructive facial surgery last night after she was subjected to a brutal assault following a night out in Colchester.

By Sharon Asplin

A TEENAGE girl was undergoing reconstructive facial surgery last night after she was subjected to a brutal assault following a night out in Colchester.

The 19-year-old woman, who has not been named, was found to have horrific facial injuries after being dropped off at home by a stranger in the early hours.

Last night Essex Police made an appeal to the public to help catch the "vicious and evil" culprits responsible for the mysterious attack.

Police, who released details of the incident for the first time yesterday, said she had been socialising in the town centre on Thursday evening.

Shortly after 1am on Friday, the teenager decided to make her way home and walked to Flagstaff Road, near St John's Abbey Gate, to hail a taxi.

However, the woman accepted a lift home from the driver of a dark-coloured three-door hatchback car, which was not a taxi. There was no-one else in the vehicle. She was then driven back to her home in West Mersea.

When she walked into her house, her mother discovered her daughter had received serious bruising to her face. An initial examination revealed the teenager had a broken jaw and severely damaged eye sockets.

She underwent reconstructive surgery last night , police said.

Officers believe she was attacked between 1am and 3am on Friday but, as the victim has not been well enough to be interviewed, they have been unable to establish further details

A spokesman for the force added: "We would ask the public to help us capture this violent and evil person who carried out this appalling assault on a defenceless woman.

"There does not seem to be a motive for this attack which has left her very distressed and traumatised.

"It is not clear at this stage whether she will be left with lasting injuries from her horrific ordeal."

Investigating officer Det Sgt Mark Merry, of Colchester CID, added: "We are obviously looking to trace the driver of the hatchback car who clearly can assist us with our inquiries.

"However, we are also looking for late-night revellers who were socialising in Colchester town centre on Thursday night or in the early hours of Friday morning who may have seen this woman.

"She was wearing relatively distinctive clothing, with a black short-sleeved top, beige-coloured short skirt and similar coloured knee-length boots.

"I would ask these people to contact us in order that we can ascertain exactly how this woman received her injuries."

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to call Colchester Police on 01206 762212.