A distraught mum has told of her fears for her son, who had part of his brain removed following a vicious nightclub brawl.

Hazel Maggs, 53, of Beambridge, Pitsea, spoke for the first time about the night her son Ian was attacked outside a Basildon nightspot.

Ian, 29, from Langdon Hills, was left in a critical condition after the attack outside Time Discotheque, in Southernhay.

In the fight, which spilled out into a car park, he was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured skull and a broken jaw.

Ian had been out to celebrate the birth of a friend's baby. He was with a group of six men allegedly set upon by another group on February 23.

Ian was taken to Basildon Hospital before he was transferred to Oldchurch Hospital, Romford. There he underwent a five-and-a-half hour operation to have part of his brain removed to ease the swelling.

Mrs Maggs said: "He was out for two-and-a-half days, was full of tubes and couldn't breath for himself. It was pitiful to see him like that."

Without the support shown by friends the awful strain on the family could have been worse, she added.

Ian has now been moved back to Basildon Hospital and, although he is making good progress, has a long way to go. He cannot walk properly, is very weak and has co-ordination and speech problems.

A Time spokesman said: "We cannot stop incidents like this. We can only deal with them as and when they happen.

"Our industry is volatile and you have to be as security conscious as you can, but it doesn't prevent them,it just reduces them to a minimum. This was a dreadful incident."

Police are appealing for information about the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call 01268 532212

A number of people arrested in connection with the incident have been released on bail.

Published Tuesday, March 26, 2002