A cyclist remains critically ill in hospital after he was attacked in Bedford town centre at the weekend.

Doctors initially feared the victim would not survive serious head injuries he suffered during the assault, but the 38-year-old has since shown signs of recovery, despite his poor condition.

The man was riding along Silver Street on his way home from the pub when he stopped outside Marks & Spencer at around 9.50pm on Saturday.

He was approached by two men and two women, who had walked towards him from Midland Road. An argument broke out and one of the men struck the cyclist, who fell to the ground and struck his head.

Paramedics took him to Bedford Hospital South Wing, but he was later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where doctors found a bleed on the brain.

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Police said: "It was feared that the man would not recover from his injuries, however his condition is not quite as serious as we first thought. He is currently in and out of consciousness.

"That area of town is very busy at that time of night during the weekend, so we would like to hear from anyone who saw something."

The man who struck the cyclist is described as white, 5ft 10ins tall, in his early 20s, with brown, gelled, spiky hair and a goatee beard. He was wearing a white T-shirt and trousers.

The second man is described as white, in his early 20s, 6ft tall with short, blond hair and missing some teeth. He was wearing a blue and white striped jumper.

Both the women are described as white. The group was seen a few minutes earlier near the Nags Head pub in Midland Road, and spotted heading down the street in a boisterous manner. The victim is said to be a white man who had been riding a blue mountain bike with yellow insignia on the side.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to contact DC Mia Dear on 01234 275334. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.