A LANDLORD was left badly injured after he was assaulted outside his pub yesterday afternoon.

Andy Power, landlord of the Commercial Hotel, in Galgate, Barnard Castle, County Durham, sustained injuries to his face and neck after he was attacked by a man with what was believed to have been a knife.

The attacker escaped following the incident, and Mr Power, who also owns the Black Horse and Raby Arms pubs in the town, was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

A neighbour said: "It must have happened very quickly because we did not know anything about it until the police turned up."

The incident took place at 1.45pm, and police are appealing for anyone who may have seen the assailant run past the Post Office in the direction of Scar Top.

Detective Constable Warren Hawes, of Bishop Auckland police, said: "Obviously we would like anyone who saw anything to get in touch with us.

"Although the victim's injuries are not life-threatening, they could have been a lot more serious."

Mr Power has lived in Barnard Castle for five years and helped set up the town's Pubwatch scheme, which bans troublemakers from pubs in the town.

His attacker was a stocky, white man in his thirties and wore dark clothing.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Det Con Hawes on (01388) 603566, or Barnard Castle police on (01833) 637328.