Neighbours have described their shock after a “horrific” Christmas Day attack left a man in critical condition in hospital.
A 49-year-old man - named locally and on social media as Mark Tinkler - was the victim of an alleged serious assault in Skelton.
Police attended Hylton Avenue at around 6.10am on December 25 after neighbours called the emergency services.
Three men, aged 29, 30 and 51, were arrested on suspicion of assault and have been bailed pending further enquiries.
Those living in the street described told The Gazette how the “distressing” scene unfolded as families woke up to open their Christmas presents.
Bob Hall, 57, said: “I was already up, and I saw my next door neighbour walking past the window.
“I didn’t know why he was out there, but I thought I would open the door and wish him Merry Christmas. When I did, I saw fighting across the street.
“Someone looked like they were booting something, and when I looked closer it was a person on the floor in some bushes. I saw my neighbour, who had been in the Forces, and he was stood behind his car waiting to help the man and told me to stay in the house and not to get involved.”
When the attack ended, Bob and his wife Kim, a nurse, rushed out with blankets to join his neighbours trying to help the man.
“He had no shirt on, and I think he was bare-footed and it was freezing. His face was awfully swollen and bloodied, and I would say he had massive facial injuries. It was very serious.
“The whole scene was distressing for everyone. Thankfully it wasn’t that little bit later, because there are a lot of children around here who might have seen it.
“It certainly put a dampener on Christmas Day. We opened our presents, but it was a bit of a damp squib.”
Police blocked off the entrance to Hylton Avenue and cordoned off an area of the street, with forensics teams visiting on Boxing Day.
Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It was horrific. There was blood everywhere.
“A lot of people went out to try and help him, but he seemed to be unconscious and was struggling to breathe.
“I’d never seen anything like it.”
Police confirmed several members of the public tried to intervene and help the victim, who suffered significant head injuries during the alleged attack.
He remains in a critical but stable condition in James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “The alleged attack happened on the street and officers know a number of witnesses were present.
“Police are grateful for information they have already received from several people, but believe there are others who have not yet spoken to police and are urging these people to come forward.”
Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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