A BRIERLEY Hill teenager has told how 18th birthday party celebrations turned into a blood bath and he was left fearing for his life after being glassed in the face.

Ross Brookes had been at Lye Town Football Club celebrating the birthday of one of his close friends when he was struck in the face when violence flared outside the Stourbridge Road venue.

The 18-year-old was rushed to hospital - first to Russells Hall in Dudley then to Wolverhampton's New Cross where he underwent emergency surgery to help close the wound which he fears has left him with a permanent scar and nerve damage.

Stretching from his left ear to his cheek - the injury needed 16 stitches and has left him with no feeling on that side of his face.

He said: "It's been horrible. I'm sucking soup and I can't shut my eye or move my eyebrow. It's agony."

Ross, who works for a telecommunications firm, however, said he feels fortunate to be alive after the incident which happened at around 11pm on February 12.

He told the News: "I was literally saying my goodbyes. It was an arterial bleed. I'm really lucky I'm still here."

He credits an off-duty nurse at the party as having helped to save his life by trying to stem the blood loss until paramedics arrived and he said the emergency team at New Cross "did a fantastic job".

But he added: "It was a horrible experience for everybody not just me. It's knocked my friends about.

"I've had so much support but this is something that will affect me for the rest of my life."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "A 17-year-old girl was arrested at the scene and has been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

"Officers are trawling CCTV of the area and speaking to witnesses to establish who is responsible."

Anyone with information that could help the enquiry is urged to contact DC Verity Evans at Force CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.