Two men were injured in separate attacks in Londonderry

A man has had his neck broken in an attack in Londonderry.

Stephen Quigley, 29, was approached and punched at Strand Road in the city at 0145 GMT on Monday, 3 November.

His mother, Emma, said her family had been devastated by what had happened.

"We don't know what way he is going to come out of the surgery, if his arms and legs are going to work. They may not work. All I can do is leave it in God's hands and hope and pray," Mrs Quigley said.

"All this week I have cried my eyes out. I can't cry any more. It is a shame that you cannot let your children out for a night. You don't know if they'll come back walking or in a box."

In a separate attack, a man was assaulted at Northland Road, Derry, at about 0130 GMT on Thursday.

He was making his way home when he was beaten.

He was treated in hospital where he received 12 stitches to a shoulder wound.

Night service

Police have appealed for witnesses to either attack to contact them.

Meanwhile, a new night bus service will start to operate in Derry at the weekend to help people who are in the city late at night to return home safely.

The Nightrider will operate three buses in the early hours of Sunday morning until Christmas.

Translink manager Tony McDaid said: "This was started to get people from the pubs, at night, home safely.

"We are offering services to four different areas of the city. It is a pilot scheme.

"We hope that people will respect the bus and that there are no attacks on the vehicle itself."

Meanwhile, police have renewed an appeal for witnesses to an assault in County Armagh.

A 16-year-old man suffered serious facial injuries after he was hit in the face with a bottle on Saturday 13 September 2003 at about 0100 BST at Portadown Road, Lurgan.

The teenager suffered permanent nerve damage as a result.