A MAN badly beaten up in the car park of a Bolton pub was still unconscious in hospital this afternoon.

The 41-year-old man, who has not been identified, suffered severe head and facial injuries.

He has been in a coma since the incident on the car park behind the Gibraltar Rock pub in Deane Road. A friend who had been drinking with the injured man raised the alarm at 3am yesterday.

Paramedics treated the heavily bloodstained man at the scene before he was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

He was described as "serious" by a police spokesman today.

A man was arrested and interviewed by detectives about the assault. He was later released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Detectives probing the attack want to speak to anyone who saw the assault. Anyone who can help is asked to ring Bolton Central CID.

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