A man was assaulted and stabbed during an unprovoked attack in Huddersfield town centre on Saturday afternoon.

The 28-year-old was hospitalised after suffering significant injuries when he was slashed in the neck as he walked along the street.

An area of the town was sealed off following the shocking attack during a busy shopping period at 3.40pm.

Update: Five men still at large after "unprovoked" Huddersfield town centre assault

Police are investigating a possible connection to a fight involving a group of males which happened prior to the incident.

The victim, who lives locally, was approached by the unknown attacker as he headed along the junction of Railway Street and Westgate.

The attacker was described as a young black male.

He was wearing a grey hooded top, grey bottoms and a black bomber jacket.

Det Insp Mick Brown of Huddersfield CID said: “The victim has been assaulted and then stabbed, slashed in the neck area.

“This caused injuries that were significant but not life-threatening.”

Watch - Crowds gather at the scene as police cordon off town centre

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The victim was taken to hospital in Leeds by ambulance but then later released.

The area where the attack happened was sealed off for a short period as police conducted their enquiries.

Det Insp Brown added: “It was an apparently unprovoked attack.

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“There’s some suggestion that there had been a fight taking place in the area between six or seven males.

“We do not know yet whether there’s some connection.

“A couple of witnesses have come forward but there must be many more given the time on the street when it occurred.”

Witnesses described a flurry of police activity in the town following the incident.

James Crabtree, a manager at the McDonald’s restaurant nearby said: “Absolutely nothing happened inside our restaurant but the area from Nandos up to the entrance of Byram Arcade was all sealed off.

“There were some police around and from our windows we could see all the crime scene tape and that the road had been closed.

“We were really busy afterwards, I think people wanted to know about what had happened.

“All we heard from some customers was that somebody had been stabbed.”

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Mr Crabtree added that the safety of customers were a priority and security staff were employed to work late at the 24-hour restaurant.

Anyone with information on the attack is asked to contact Det Sgt Damian Roebuck via 101.