A YOUNG dance teacher suffered terrible injuries to his face when he was attacked by a gang of youths in a late-night attack.

Scott Ensbury, 21, of Poppleton, can remember little of the attack in a deserted York car park that left him needed hospital treatment for extensive bruising and cuts.

He was set upon by a group of five young men as he walked yards behind his sister, Kellie, 23, and girlfriend, Sharon Phillips, 18, as they left the Megabowl, at Clifton Moor, on Friday night.

The attackers knocked him to the ground and kicked him repeatedly in the head.

They made off when a family friend realised what was happening and broke up the attack.

Scott, who spent the night in York Hospital and does not expect to be able to return to work for several weeks, said he wanted people to help him track down those behind the vicious and unprovoked assault.

He said: "I've taken a right boxing. I would like to know who did this. It would help me put this behind me. I feel angry because I just don't know what's gone on."

His mother, Tina Wallis, 47, a receptionist, said: "It was a terrible shock. The worst thing was when my daughter phoned. She was hysterical." Mrs Wallis said: "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that's no excuse for this attack. It's taken five of them to pick on him. If they were on their own they wouldn't have done it."

A York Police spokeswoman said the attack was "totally unprovoked". She said the group had been seen hanging around the Megabowl earlier that evening and officers were examining CCTV footage.

Alistair Tonkiss, Megabowl general manager, said staff had been shocked by the incident and were helping the police with their investigation.

He said the indoor bowling centre employed two security guards on Friday and Saturday nights, but the attack had happened minutes after they clocked off in the car park area beside the building.

Anyone who was in the area between 11pm and midnight on Friday, or who saw the gang, is asked to phone PC Liz Welburn at York Police on 01904 631321.

Updated: 10:52 Thursday, October 30, 2003