A 20-YEAR-OLD man was attacked and beaten up in Bolton in an apparently unprovoked attack because of his accent.

Andrew Sims, from Liverpool, was assaulted in the garden of a friend's house in Boundary Gardens, Halliwell, early on Saturday.

He was attacked by three men walking past after he said hello to one of them. They walked into the garden and punched him repeatedly in the head.

Mr Sims had been babysitting for a friend's 12-year-old child at the time and was attacked as he sat in the garden at about 1am.

His mother, Sharon Clarke, also from Liverpool, is so determined to catch the thugs who beat up her son, she is offering a reward to whoever offers police vital information.

She was with friends elsewhere in Halliwell when she received a phone call telling her about the attack.

Andrew suffered two black eyes, two fractures to his cheek and needed two stitches in his lip.

Mrs Clarke says her son was just getting over severe depression after he was mugged in January. His jewellery and money had been stolen when he got off a train in Widnes, a friend had died in a motorbike accident and his grandad had also died.

Mr Sims said: "I was just having a cigarette outside and a lad I was sat with started talking to three men who were walking past. I said hello and one of them came into the garden. He said he didn't like my accent and I could make the first punch, but I didn't want a fight.

"Then he punched me, and punched me again and again. I don't remember much after that."

Mr Sims was taken to The Royal Bolton Hospital by ambulance where he was kept in overnight.

Mrs Clarke said: "I rushed straight home and couldn't believe what I saw. There was blood all over his face and clothes, and his face was badly swollen."

Police are investigating the incident.