Seriously injured Ranfurly man felled by a single blow

A Ranfurly man seriously injured in an assault outside a pub in the central Otago town at the weekend was felled with a single blow, police have said.

Police found Allan Kenneth Scott, a 54-year-old agricultural contractor, unconscious with head injuries early on Saturday when they were called to Forrys Bar in Charlemont Street East, Ranfurly, early on Saturday.

Mr Scott remains in a serious condition in Dunedin Hospital.

Police are waiting for his condition to stabilise so they can talk to him about what happened, acting Detective Sergeant Ian Kerrisk of Alexandra police said.

Meanwhile, police had now located and spoken to everyone involved in the assault.

Mr Kerrisk said Mr Scott had been in a verbal altercation with a group in a vehicle.

"This resulted in one of the group striking Mr Scott with a single blow, which resulted in Mr Scott falling to the ground and striking his head on the roadway."

The group were not from Ranfurly and did not know Mr Scott prior to the assault, Mr Kerrisk said.

Police do not believe any weapons were involved.

- NZPA