Calls to speed up the implementation of CCTV in Marlborough High Street have been made after teenager Alek Baliszewski had his tooth knocked out in an unprovoked attack on Saturday night.

The 16-year-old, from Ducks Meadow, was walking his friend Alice More home with four male friends shortly before 11.30pm when a girl, who was with three friends, lashed out at one of the teenagers, Josh Meyer.

When Josh tried to push the girl off him the attacker’s boyfriend jumped in and the scuffle soon escalated.

Alek said: “We were walking Alice back though the Castle and Ball car park and I noticed two of my friends were lagging behind and we saw that they had got involved in a bit of a tussle.

“It was traumatic for all of us because we are not violent people but we could tell that they were looking for a fight.”

Alek, studying for his AS Levels at New College in Swindon, and his friends walked away from the gang but he realised he’d left his hat behind and went back for it.

He said: “One of the guys singled me out, pinned me against a car and punched me in the face three times.

“I had literally no idea what was going on – we were all quite stunned.

Alek lost a tooth in the attack, his lip was split and his face was swollen.

There are plans to have deployable CCTV installed around Marlborough and town councillor Marian Hannaford-Dobson believes that attacks like this show that the cameras should be put in place quickly.

She said: “This is why Councillor Noel Barrett-Morton and I pushed to get CCTV in the town as soon as possible – it’s no use locking the stable door once the horse has bolted.

“It’s imperative that we make a decision on CCTV at the soonest available opportunity.

“I believe that the deployable CCTV is useful in some areas but permanent CCTV should be used in places where we know there are ongoing problems.”

A 21-year-old man from Marlborough was arrested on suspicion of ABH on Saturday night but was released without charge the following day. Anyone who witnessed the attack should call Wiltshire Police on 101.