POLICE are seeking witnesses to an assault in which a man was attacked as he was out running with his dog.

The 39-year-old local man was punched in the face by one of two men when he stopped to allow them to pass as he crossed Hayhurst Bridge in Northwich.

PC Samantha Knox, who is investigating the incident, which happened on Tuesday, February 17, was driving across the bridge shortly after the assault, and the victim flagged her police car down.

“The man was distressed, and his face was covered in blood,” she said.

“The victim had been punched by one of the men, who appeared to be unsteady on their feet and may have been intoxicated.

“The man was very upset, but was more shocked by the fact that he did not expect to go out running with his dog and be attacked.”

The man provided police with descriptions of the offenders, and the man who attacked the runner may have an injury to the fist used to punch the victim.

The assault happened between 6.40pm and 6.50pm.

“The victim was running from the Kingsmead direction, turning left on to Chesterway,” said PC Knox.

“He then ran over Hayhurst Bridge, which runs over the river on Chesterway at the rear of Waitrose in the direction of Castle Hill.

“On entering the bridge, using the footpath, the victim noticed two males entering the footpath ahead of him.

“They walked towards the victim, but appeared to be unsteady on their feet and may have been intoxicated.

“Once in the centre of the bridge the victim stopped to allow the two males to walk past him as the path is very narrow.

“However, one of the males punched the victim to the face, without provocation, causing an injury to the area between his nose and top lip area, which caused bleeding and swelling.”

The man who attacked the runner is described as white, in his mid 20s, about six feet tall and of medium build.

He had dark hair and was wearing dark clothing. He possibly used his right fist to inflict the injury.

The second man involved is also white, in his mid 20s, about six feet tall and heavily built, and wore a light grey tracksuit.

Both men had come from the direction of Castle, and following the assault ran off up Chesterway, possibly towards the town centre.

PC Knox said the road where the assault took place is on a main route through Northwich, and motorists in the area at the time may have seen the incident.

If anyone has information about the identity of the offenders or someone matching the descriptions who may have an injury to their right hand which may be consistent with the assault, contact PC Knox at Northwich Police Station on 101, quoting CC1504631.

Police are asking a man to come forward who was walking a short distance behind the victim and is believed to have seen the offenders run off from the bridge.