Man attacked after helping woman

The scene of the assault in Belfast city centre

A man is critically ill after being beaten up as he tried to assist a woman being attacked in Belfast.

The 27-year-old sustained a fractured skull when he and another man intervened in a row between three men and two females on the Dublin Road.

One of the girls was kicked and punched in the incident at 0145 BST on Friday.

The three men ran off towards the city centre and punched another man whom they passed on the road. He was treated in hospital for an eye injury.

Speaking on the Nolan Show, Belfast's Lord Mayor Pat McCarthy said he felt "utterly appalled" at what happened.

"People were out socialising and to be attacked and left critically ill in hospital beggars belief," he said.

"Unfortunately, we are getting more and more incidents like this. There seems to be an element within our city who think that they cannot have a good time without attacking people in the street."

A large portion of the road was cordoned off until about 0620 BST while the police investigated the scene.

Forensic experts are continuing to examine the scene, which is outside a vacant office on the Dublin Road.

Detectives have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information about it, to get in contact with them.