A SECURITY guard was viciously attacked as he tried to stop a gang of youths causing damage at a Gwent arts festival.

Bryan Ennis, 57, was hit on the head with beer cans as he kept watch at the Caerleon Arts Festival and International Sculpture Symposium on Friday night.

Mr Ennis, from Pontfaen, was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport with head wounds after the incident, but returned the next day.

"I was very angry but I'm not going to let them get the better of me," Mr Ennis said.

The attack happened at around 10.30pm on Friday after Mr Ennis tried to move a group of around seven youths from the festival's main sculpture field.

"I got a lot of abuse from them," he said. "They were trying to pull the flags off the gazebos and were making lots of noise and drinking cans."

Mr Ennis was punched in the head, then hit with something hard and knocked down. It was so hard and heavy it must have been a can of beer," said Mr Ennis.

As he tried to get up he was hit again with the can and the gang walked away, laughing.

Festival organisers say they are "appalled" by the attack.

Chairman Max Perkins said: "Mr Ennis was very shaken. We have never had anything like this before."

Gwent Police are appealing for witnesses. Call 01633 838111.