TWO American men visiting Bournemouth were set upon by a group of thugs because of their nationality.

Visitors Adam Kaplan and Danny Bober, both 18 and from California, had been in England for three days and were out drinking with friends in the town centre on their final night when the attack happened.

It is understood a group of three men, who were standing outside Walkabout in the early hours of Wednesday morning, started hurling comments at Danny calling him a "dumb ass American".

Adam said he walked outside Walkabout to find Danny embroiled in a stand-off with an unknown person and, as he and friend Ben Maugham, from Bournemouth, tried to intervene they were also assaulted.

The Californian said: "I walked over and asked what was going on and he hit me," he said.

"I got knocked over and when I got up, I got hit again.

"I started defending myself.

"There was a big melee and my friend Ben was involved and Danny got hit by a couple of guys. I got hit by at least three different guys. We didn't let it ruin our trip," he said.

"Everything else about England has been amazing.

"It was a shame it happened, but it didn't ruin our stay."

Ben suffered a cut cheek and Adam was left with a cut lip, badly bruised face and he hurt his shoulder.

Danny was not injured.

Both Adam and Danny had been staying with Geraldine Forder and her family in Broadstone.

Mrs Forder said: "I was just incensed. My son Ross was showing his friends around and some mindless thugs attacked them.

"I was horrified. For anybody to be attacked is awful but they were my responsibility and having to send them home to their parents with cuts and bruises is an awful reflection on our country."

Ross, who was still inside the club when the incident happened, added: "One of the men made derogatory comments.

"I was really upset when I heard about it."

Ben has made a complaint to the police but the two Americans declined as they were returning home the following day.