Man kicked and punched on the ground in '˜unprovoked' attack

The 32-year-old was confronted by the group as he left the Shop And Save shop, on Norley Hall Avenue in Norley Hall, at around 7.30pm on Saturday, January 7.

The group - aged between 15 and 20 – surrounded him and as he attempted to walk away, they pushed him and dragged him to the floor.

They repeatedly kicked and punched him in the head and on his body as he lay on the ground.

The man suffered cracked ribs, bruising and needed stitches on his lip.

All of the group were boys and men who wearing hoodies.

Det Con Suzanne Rigby, from Greater Manchester Police’s Wigan division, said: “This was a brutal attack on an innocent man who was just trying to go about his daily business.

“We want to identify those responsible for the assault, who no doubt carried out this cowardly attack as an act of bravado.

“It was senseless and completely unprovoked and I want to assure the community that we are determined to find those responsible and bring them to justice.

“I would ask anyone who has any information about the group, or who saw them in the area that day, to please contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference number 1874 of January 7, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.