A brawl outside a Napier pub at about midnight on Friday has left a 29-year-old man in Wellington Hospital with what police described as serious head injuries.
A group of five or six men were fighting in a carpark outside Sideline Bar on Taradale Rd when the man was knocked the
the ground. It is believed he hit the back of his head on the ground.
He was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital but later flown to Wellington for specialist treatment.
Police said his condition today was serious.
An investigation has been launched into the incident and police are appealing for anyone with information to contact the Napier CIB.
It is understood the brawlers were of mixed ages.
Police were interested in speaking to three people in their late teens or early 20s who left the scene in a white sedan.
The brawl was broken up by security staff who then took care of the injured man until police and ambulance crews arrived.
Police said it was not known what started the brawl and that no arrests had yet been made.
No weapons were believed to have been involved.
Sideline Bar manager Kath Peddy said there had been no fighting inside, although some patrons who had too much to drink had been refused service.
"It's normally really good here and there were no problems beforehand," she said.
"It wasn't like they were falling down drunk, or anyone was kicked out for being too drunk."
She said there had been few issues at the bar in general and she was "really quite shocked" by what had happened.
"I just hope the guy's okay," she said.
"Everyone was really primo and helped him out, making sure he was okay and letting the people like police and ambulance staff help him."
She was working the night of the brawl but said she did not see it occur.
"The security guys came in and asked if we had any blankets and I said it's surely not that cold - and then they explained.
"Everyone had been really well behaved.
"It had actually been a really good night before it happened."
