A 28-year-old man yesterday admitted carrying out a brutal attack which left a popular Fakenham tattooist needing facial reconstruction surgery. Ricky Fuller, of Blenheim Road, Sculthorpe, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Dan Tidd on February 12 last year and also admitted causing actual bodily harm to Ben Gillard on the same date.

Fuller and Aaron Ellwood, 30, of Rose Walk, Wicken Green Village, both admitted affray on the same date, when they appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday morning.

Their sentencing has been adjourned until February 15 to allow for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

Judge Peter Jacobs told them that all sentencing options would be open to the court.

Both men originally pleaded not guilty to all offences and the case was due to go to a trial, but they changed their pleas yesterday.

Mr Tidd underwent facial reconstruction surgery at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after the attack.

He was 29 and living in North Creake at the time.

Mr Tidd, who works at 4Skin Tattooing in Fakenham, was unable to work for some time after the assault.

He received hundreds of messages of support and many people raised money to help him during his time off work.Witnesses reported at the time of the incident that after being knocked to the floor, Mr Tidd's face was jumped on repeatedly and his jaw was broken in two places.

They said the attack was unprovoked and carried out at around 1.45am.

Mr Tidd, Mr Gillard and friends had been drinking in The Rampant Horse pub in Fakenham during the Saturday night prior to the incident.

Mr Gillard, who also works at 4Skin Tattooing, was walking down Norwich Street, Fakenham, towards a taxi, when he was set upon outside Lloyds TSB bank.

His friend Craig Lewis, a martial arts instructor, then arrived on the scene and put Mr Gillard in the recovery position and Fuller and Ellwood ran away.

Mr Tidd then arrived and gave chase.

He chased the men down an alley between Superdrug and Holland and Barrett, and across Queen's Road car park.

He was attacked in an alley, near Fakenham Community Centre.

Witnesses said Fuller and Ellwood ran away when Mr Tidd's girlfriend arrived, screaming at them.

Clive Povey, Mr Tidd's boss, had been drinking with him in The Rampant Horse on the night of the attack.

He said at the time that he believed Mr Tidd could have been killed if the attack had continued much longer.

He said: 'I don't know why anyone would do this. Dan is a really friendly lad, who wouldn't harm anyone.

'When he gets drunk he tells people how much he loves them. He never goes around looking for trouble.'