A ‘lovely and gentle’ woman was the victim of a savage assault in Weston town centre when a man left her with a broken jaw.

The 21-year-old was followed down Richmond Street and punched to the side of the face at around 3am on September 21 after she tried to split up an altercation involving a friend outside Vision nightclub.

The victim has decided to remain anonymous amid fear of being targeted by her attacker, and she has urged any witnesses of the incident to aid her pursuit of justice.

The assault happened after the woman enjoyed a night out, celebrating the completion of her first week in a new job.

But what should have been a fun evening with friends became a 'nightmare'.

She said: "It was a friends' night out and we had been in a pub down the road. We were walking past Vision and an altercation happened between two men and a friend.

"I intervened by trying to pull them off him, but it didn't work so I walked away, but one followed me and punched me in the side of the face.

"The whole ordeal has been traumatising. I have been having nightmares and flashbacks.

"Every time I look at my face in the mirror I am reminded of what happened."

The woman spent five nights in Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) needing treatment for a fractured mandible, and has been left with a scar on her face and neck

She went under the knife for a two-hour operation to have two metal plates fitted.

The victim added: "I can't eat for six weeks, I can only have liquids. I have already lost a stone and a half.

"I don't want to go anywhere. It has affected my social life considerably. My friends go out and have fun, but I can't. I haven't been able to go back out."

The woman has missed out on a 'considerable amount of pay' as a result of being unable to work and in a probation period with her new employer.

The victim's mother told the Mercury 'something has to be done'.

She said: "She is such a lovely and gentle girl, and it's shocking something like this could happen to her. It has affected the whole family and I have been signed off work with stress."

The incident is being investigated by Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which has urged witnesses to come forward.

Its spokesman said: "Enquiries continue into an assault outside a nightclub in Richmond Street.

"A woman, who tried to intervene in an argument between two men, was assaulted. She received treatment at the BRI for a broken jaw.

"The investigating officer has reviewed CCTV and taken statements from witnesses."

Witnesses are asked to call police on 101, quoting reference number 5219218398.