AN UNARMED security guard was slashed on the arm with a knife as he tried to throw two drunken thugs out of the Museum Gardens in York.

Kenny Wyatt, who works for F1 Security, was left covered in blood and with a gash two inches long on his right arm.

Doctors put five stitches into the wound, and he has to return to hospital tomorrow for more treatment.

Mr Wyatt, 24, said: "A group of lads were drinking. It's not allowed in there and I had asked them to leave a couple of times, and they did, but two of them popped up again.

"They said: 'Try and get us out now if you think you can'. I started to take one of them to the gates and we fell over. His mate jumped on my back and I thought he was punching me in the arm.

"It was only after they had both ran off I saw the blood and realised he had been slashing at me."

Mr Wyatt, from Goole, said he was "pretty shocked" by the attack, but has vowed to return to work as soon as he can.

He only started his job with F1 three weeks ago.

F1 director Darren Sholl said: "I would urge anyone carrying a knife to ask themselves whether it is worth risking taking someone's life for the sake of drinking in a public place."

Chief Inspector Andy Bell, of York Police, appealed for help from the public to catch the attacker. He said: "Obviously I am greatly concerned about any person carrying any kind of knife. This gentleman was only doing his job and has fallen victim to a serious assault."

A spokeswoman for York Museums Trust said a "considerable sum" of money had been invested to improve security at the gardens.

She said: "Staff at the trust will be holding discussions with the security firm and the local police authority to prevent further incidents happening."

The knifeman was said to be aged 15 or 16 and wearing a black T-shirt, shorts and a baseball cap. His accomplice was the same age and wearing a blue T-shirt and white shorts.

The slashing happened at about 2pm on Easter Monday.

In October, the Evening Press revealed how the York Museums Trust had hired F1 to patrol the gardens. Guard John Reynolds told then how thugs had attacked him with a lump of wood and syringe.

Updated: 10:38 Thursday, April 24, 2003