Police probe serious assault at campsite

Police are seeking information about a violent incident at Castlepoint on New Year's Day that left a young man with serious facial injuries.

A man was left with serious injuries to his face after an early morning assault at a Castlepoint campsite on New Year's Day, police say.

An investigation had been launched in the wake of the incident, which was not reported to police until 24 hours after the violence unfolded, according to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Miller.

He said the injured man, 20, had been staying at a temporary campsite with a group of friends at the rear of the Whakataki Tavern on New Year's Eve.

The group had been drinking alcohol throughout the night and the man's last memory was walking back to his tent, possibly alone, where he was involved in a scuffle with another person, Detective Miller said.

The man had been taken to Wairarapa Hospital with severe facial injuries and police had interviewed several campers and listed other people also at the site that night, Detective Miller said.

Police needed to speak to the other person involved in the confrontation, he said.

"We have a number of names who we will be contacting and we have located some witnesses to the incident," he said.

"At this time police are treating this as a serious assault until we know otherwise."

Anybody with information about the incident is urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or to contact Masterton Police or Wellington Police District Command Centre.