Police have launched a CCTV appeal after a terrifying homophobic assault which left a 22-year-old man needing life-saving surgery.
The force have released images of a man and woman detectives want to speak to after Morgan Fevre was brutally attacked in Manchester.
He was left with serious head and facial injuries and was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary before being transferred to Salford Royal Hospital.
He suffered a bleed to the brain as well as a severely fractured cheekbone and eye socket, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Morgan was also left with three broken teeth and a badly broken nose, which was fractured in four places.
His father, Paul Fevre, said his son was approached by a man who made mocking comments about an item of clothing he was wearing. He said the thug then abused Morgan with a vile homophobic slur before attacking him.
Morgan, who is now out of hospital, was attacked on Charlotte Street, near Manchester's Chinatown, at around 1.35am on April 10 after a night out with friends.
In a statement giving an update on the case today, Greater Manchester Police said today: "Officers in Manchester have released images of two people they would like to speak to in connection with a serious assault in the city centre.
"The incident on Charlotte Street at about 1.35am on April 10 left victim Morgan Fevre, 22, in hospital with face and head injuries.
"After reviewing CCTV, officers have released images of a man and woman they would like to speak to."
Detective Constable Lucy Hatton, of GMP's City of Manchester CID, said: "This was an unprovoked attack in the street that the victim can remember very little about.
"Morgan was punched in the head and then fell to the floor, and spent 10 days in hospital being treated for head and face injuries.
"He has now been discharged from hospital but is still suffering from the after-effects of the incident. We would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information - they should call police on our dedicated phone line 0161 856 6049 quoting incident 247 of 10/4/2022."
Morgan - a support worker for adults with learning difficulties - moved to Manchester from the small market town of Retford for work more than a year ago. The force said the incident was being treated as a 'homophobically-aggravated assault' and investigations by city centre-based detectives were continuing.
Morgan's father added: "In 2022, that people are called these names and these things happen to them - it is absolutely horrendous.
"Morgan has gone to Manchester thinking it's great - you can go out and be who you are. Then this happens.
"This has knocked him back, but we are all here for him. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the reasons he came to Manchester was because of the city's inclusiveness."
Police are continuing to appeal for anyone with information about the attack to come forward.
Information can also be emailed to 02905@gmp.police.uk or reported online using the LiveChat function at www.gmp.police.uk. If you can't report online, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
