A 29-year-man was attacked by three men during the early hours of New Year's Day. 

The man, who is from the Shotley area of Suffolk, had been walking with his girlfriend and another woman in an alleyway between High Street and New Street in Braintree at around 3.30am.

Three men approached the group and engaged them in conversation.

As they entered High Street, one of them men punched the victim. He fell to the ground and all three men assaulted him.

He suffered swelling to his face and lip, cuts to his ears and arms, and bruising to his ribs and legs.

Officers want to identify and speak to the three men pictured.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We appreciate they are not the clearest images but hope someone will be able to identify them."

Contact Pc Luke Wilkinson at Braintree CID on 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org.