POLICE in east Belfast are appealing for information following an assault on two Eastern European men.

It happened in the Connswater Link area on the evening of Tuesday 12th May.

The two males were attacked by a group of male youths at around 10.40 pm as they walked along the street.

One of the males suffered facial injuries whilst the other was treated for a cut to his hand.

The group of youths made off on foot, in the direction of the Newtownards Road, following the assault.

Inspector Keith Hutchinson has appealed for anyone who was in the area and who may have witnessed this incident or anyone who has any information to help police with their enquiries to contact officers in Strandtown on 101. Information can also be given anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The attack came just hours after police revealed that race hate crime attacks had jumped by 25 per cent over the past year.

Compared with the previous year there were increases across all but one of the six hate incident types recorded in 2014/15 – racist incidents increased by 374 from 982 to 1,356 and racist crimes increased by 230 from 691 to 921.