"You could have killed him": Blackpool teenager knocked unconscious and breaks jaw in three places after unprovoked punch to the back of his head
Harry Trask, of Devonshire Road, North Shore, was walking home from work in Talbot Square at 4:15am on Tuesday when he was attacked without warning on Queen Street in Blackpool town centre.
"Someone has run up behind him and punched him in the back of the head," said Jody Sutton, Harry's mother, "he was knocked out, his teeth were smashed, he broke his jaw in three places".
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Hide AdHarry, who works as a barman at Home & HQ in Talbot Square, was rushed to the Royal Preston Hospital by ambulance, where his family joined him.
Jody, 40, also of Devonshire Road, said: "We didn't know what had happened, we literally just got in a taxi and headed straight there.
"We didn't know how serious it was until we spoke to the doctor.
"He told us Harry could have died," she added.
The teenager, who is 6'5", was knocked out by the punch and fell face-first onto the pavement, leaving a deep wound under his chin.
"It looks like he has swallowed a ball," said Jody.
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Hide AdHarry, who had planned to join the army, underwent surgery on his jaw on Wednesday morning.
Doctors spent four hours wiring his jaw shut, and inserted metal plates to help reinforce it.
"The surgery went well," said Jody, "he's very sore and swollen but doing well".
Harry was discharged from hospital this morning, but still faces months of recovery.
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Hide Ad"He can't eat solid food for eight weeks, and the swelling in his face could take six months to heal," said Jody.
"I am angry that someone thinks they can do something like this and not face consequences. They need to realise how dangerous this is".
Blackpool police confirmed that they were investigating Harry's assault.
Now his family fear the injuries could disqualify him from joining the army.
"He had epilepsy as a boy which stopped him from joining," said Jody, "but he recovered and was planning to apply.
"We were literally about to send off the papers when this happened".