A POOLE man was left with a fractured cheekbone after he was attacked by a woman wielding a stiletto shoe.

Dean Roche, 21, of Canford Heath was standing in Poole High Street talking to his friends when a woman struck him in the face with her high-heeled shoe.

His cheekbone was fractured in four places and needed surgery.

Dean, who works in Asda, said the unprovoked assault had left him wary of going out. "I was stood talking to my mates and then she came and hit me," he said.

"I think she came from the side of me because I didn't see it coming at all. I obviously just felt the pain and my mates grabbed me out the way.

"At the time I didn't know what was going on and it's scary thinking about it. It could've been anything, it could have been a knife. Just the fact it was a random attack proves it can happen to anybody really.

"It definitely makes me wary about going out. I went to watch football down the pub the other night but it was really busy and I had to leave. I couldn't see properly out of the corner of my eye and I couldn't see what was at the side of me. 

"My message to anyone who saw what happened would be to come forward and stop it happening to other people." 

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, which occurred at 2.15am on Saturday April 26 near the Slug and Lettuce pub.

Detective Constable Jonathan Sainsbury, of Poole police, said: “I am now in a position to release a picture of the victim which highlights the seriousness of this case.

“There were a number of people around at the time who may have witnessed the incident - I urge them to come forward as soon as possible.”

The woman is described as white with dark hair and was wearing a leopard print top.

A 28-year-old woman from Bournemouth has been arrested and released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 26:111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.