Muslims run over teen rugby star, hit him with golf club, give him fractured skull and brain bleeding

A “promising” teenage rugby player was run over by a gang who beat him with a golf club in what police described as a racially-motivated attack.

Police said Littleborough RUFC player Matthew Hayden, 17, suffered a fractured skull in the “unprovoked attack” in Smithy Bridge Road, Littleborough, Rochdale, on Saturday.

The attackers – described as a group of up to five Asian males – shouted racial abuse during the assault, police said.

It is being treated as a hate crime.

Littleborough RUFC said Colts junior team captain Josh Jones’s car was rammed by a black Nissan Micra driver at 02:00 BST.

When Matthew got out of the car, the other car hit him and he was then struck on the head with a golf club, police said.

Mr Jones, 18, who was trapped in the driver’s seat, was also attacked with a crowbar, causing “significant hand and facial injuries”, said Littleborough RUFC….

In a statement, the club said the trio were “all relieved to be alive”, adding Matthew has undergone surgery on a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain….

Det Insp Mark McDowall of Greater Manchester Police described the attack as “brutal” and “unprovoked”, leaving Matthew with “life-changing injuries”.

He described the offenders as being four or five Asian males, of thin build and either in their late-teens or early-20s…