Two men injured after Christmas Day attack near Flanagan’s Border Inn at Bacchus Marsh

One man was stabbed and another injured outside a regional pub on Christmas morning before the attackers slashed the tyres of a car when the victims tried to escape.

The two men were injured outside Flanagans Border Inn, Bacchus Marsh, on Christmas Day.

A man who was stabbed in an “unprovoked attack” outside a regional pub on Christmas Day was unable to escape after the offenders slashed the tyres of a car where he sought refuge.

Police are investigating a stabbing outside a licensed venue in Bacchus Marsh, 66km northwest of Melbourne, following an attack that injured two men early Christmas morning.

Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit detectives say the two victims were with a group of friends outside Flanagan’s Border Inn on Main St when a brawl erupted with an unknown group not long after midnight.

A 29-year-old Rockbank man sustained knife-related injuries to the lower body and was taken to hospital.

A 28-year-old Lara man sustained minor injuries.

It comes as communities in Melbourne’s west battling surging crime rates claim the overnight closure of local police stations makes them feel unsafe.

One witness, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed about a dozen men set upon the group during the “unprovoked attack”.

The woman claimed one man was stabbed and the other was hit repeatedly in the head by “cowards out to cause trouble”.

Investigators were told that one of the unknown offenders punctured the tyres of the vehicle the victims sought refuge inside following the brawl.

The offenders fled the scene and no arrests have been made.

Police have urged anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.