TWO tourists were badly beaten and a doorman suffered a fractured skull when a group of drunken thugs attacked them in a York pub.

Police are investigating the trouble at the Northern Wall, in Fossgate, which is believed to have started when the visitors from Cumbria were taunted over their accents.

Landlord Paul Worthington, who had a pint glass smashed over his head in the incident, said it was like "a scene from the Wild West".

He said a raucous eight-strong gang of men had gone into the pub and goaded two couples who were on a weekend trip from Cumbria.

"They were having a pop at them about their accents so I went over to try and calm it down," Mr Worthington said.

"One of the gang started hurling abuse at me, so I told our doorman to get him out. While I stood on the door, one of them smashed a pint pot over my head and it was just mayhem."

"The gang just legged it when the ambulance turned up," he said.

"Our doorman is thankfully out of hospital now. He came in and told me he had a small fracture in his skull."

The landlord said the two male tourists and doorman were taken to York Hospital after being repeatedly kicked and punched in the head and body. The attack happened on the night of the England v Turkey football match, but details have only just emerged. Anyone with information should phone York Police on 01904 631321.

A spokesman for York police said: "We attended a disturbance at the Northern Wall in which three men were assaulted after a conversation got heated. They were all taken to hospital for treatment."

The culprits were in their late 20s to early 40s. No one has been arrested.

Updated: 11:02 Wednesday, October 22, 2003