TWO women were left shocked and bleeding after a man launched a violent and unprovoked attack.

Beauty therapist Charlotte Waldron was punched hard in the face, leaving her with a bleeding nose and black eyes.

Her friend, advertising field sales representative Tara Anderson, was knocked to the floor and left with concussion after being punched in the side of the head.

Now police have launched an appeal to trace the offender who struck as the women waited for a taxi outside Beales and Superdry in Bournemouth in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Tara, 25, who lives in Bournemouth, said she had spent the evening with friends and was texting one of the group at about 3.30am when she noticed two women and a man standing nearby.

“The women started abusing us for no reason and suddenly the man came over and punched Charlotte straight in the face.

“I was really shocked and tried to steady her, then he punched me in the side of the head and I fell to the floor.

“There was blood everywhere but the three of them just ran off without saying anything.”

Tara said Charlotte, 26, also from Bournemouth, called the emergency services but the trio had fled in the direction of Westover Road by the time police and paramedics arrived.

She added: “The police took some details but they didn’t appear to be taking it very seriously at first. “They said they were going to look for CCTV but I have spoken to them since and they said there isn’t any. We have been going out in Bournemouth for a long time but we have never experienced anything like this.

“It is worrying that this kind of attack can happen and it makes me worry for people who are younger than us and wouldn’t know what to do.”

Both victims have been signed off work for a week due to their injuries.

Tara said she believes the attacker had very short hair and that the two women were aged in their early 20s, one with blonde hair and one of mixed race.

Police said the incident is being investigated and urged anyone with information about either incident to contact them in confidence on 101 or to call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111. Mobile phone tariffs may apply.

The incident happened just 15 minutes after a disturbance ouside nearby Chilli White in St Peter’s Road which left a 30-year-old man with serious head injuries, which was reported in Monday’s Daily Echo.