A TELEVISION app-eal to catch a gang who brutally assaulted a man in Newport bus station had a "phenomenal response".

Gwent Police screened CCTV footage of the violent assault on BBC One's Crimewatch programme on Wednesday.

A 25-year-old man was attacked in the bus station after a night out in the city centre in the early hours of Saturday, September 17, last year.

One man beat him with a wooden club and another stamped on his head four times, leaving him with serious head, facial and neck injuries. Two other men were involved while a fifth watched.

The attack was captured on CCTV. The offenders appear to be in their late teens or early 20s.

Police wanted the violent assault screened in the hope Newport residents might recognise the attackers from the footage.

Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross said they thought "long and hard" about showing the footage because of the level of violence involved, but took the decision to do so as it was an "important appeal to make".

The men got off a bus in Monnow Way, Bettws, and the Crimewatch team asked: "Do the people of Bettws want these men in their midst?"

On the update show Nick Ross said they had a "phenomenal response" to the appeal, led by Newport Detective Constable Rhys Peters.

A Crimewatch spokeswoman said: "We have had more than 30 calls. One man was named four times, another was named three times, another twice and a fourth man was named once.

"It was a high number of calls for a piece involving CCTV footage that we think it reflects the highly horrific nature of the attack.

"We are very pleased with the result and hopeful it will lead to arrests." Anyone with information is asked to contact Gwent Police on 01633 838111 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.