A man has been taken to hospital with head injuries after an alleged assault in an Inverness street on Saturday afternoon.
Police have appealed for witnesses after the incident in Oldtown Road in the Hilton area of the city at 4pm.
Two men were involved in the incident which happened in a paved area outside a block of flats in the busy residential area.
The victim was taken to Raigmore Hospital for treatment but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
A police spokeswoman said last night that they “had no further information” about the second man involved in the incident.
Police said they have stepped up patrols in the area following the alleged attack and have called on any witnesses to contact them.
A near-neighbour said yesterday that he was shocked about an incident like this happening in daylight hours.
He said: “It’s such a public place and it was right in the middle of the afternoon.
“There’s a kid’s playpark just round the corner and people going to the shops and things like that.
“A friend of mine saw the guy after it happened and he was apparently in quite a bad way, covered in blood.
“it’s pretty shocking to hear about.”
Councillor Jean Slater, Inverness Ness-side that she hoped anyone with information would get in touch with the police.
She said: “It’s never a nice thing to hear about, especially in your own area.
“Anyone who knows anything about it should go straight to the police or to Crimestoppers if they want to stay anonymous.”
In a statement released yesterday, the police said: “Police have increased patrols in the area at this time and are keen to hear from members of the public who witnessed the incident.
“Anyone with information about the incident is requested to contact police on 101.”
A spokeswoman added that “enquiries are ongoing”.
The incident follows other serious assaults nearby to where Saturday’s alleged assault took place.
A 43-year-old was detained by police after an alleged incident in Hilton on Balloan Road on Friday, August 15.
A 48-year-old man required hospital treatment following the incident.