Ferit Olmez was celebrating his 29th birthday when the incident happened.

The victim says his attacker first barged into him deliberately for no reason – knocking him backwards, and then grabbed him by the throat, insulted him in explicit racial terms, before punching him hard in the mouth – knocking out all his front row teeth.

He will require extensive dental treatment for the rest of his life.

Mr Olmez, of Victoria Road, said: "I was confused and in shock. I can't remember anything after being hit."

The restaurant worker said he had only been in the club for about an hour with one of his friends and had just had a couple of drinks.

Mr Olmez said his companions looked for police officers in the town centre before going to the police station for help.

He said: "They took my name and address and said that I should go to the hospital."

The attack took place inside Boleyn's Nightclub, in St Thomas Street.

The victim's mouth and hands were covered in blood and he had also suffered whiplash to the neck.

He eventually returned home at 3.15am and, six days later, was still recovering from his injuries.

A dentist has since estimated it will cost somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000 to reconstruct his teeth.

Mr Olmez and his companions believe his attacker was dressed similarly to club doormen.

Mr Olmez said: "I am still a bit dizzy and speaking is difficult. I feel self conscious because I have lost my teeth. I get headaches, my neck is sore and I sometimes get blurred vision.

"I won't go there anymore and, because I am scared, I don't go out anymore.

"The club is for all the public and it should be safe."

A spokesman for Scarborough Police said officers were investigating the serious assault which was being treated as "racially motivated".

He said: "A friend initially took the injured man to Scarborough Police Station where the incident was logged for immediate investigation. He was then sent to Scarborough Hospital for urgent medical attention.

"Following enquiries, police are treating the incident as a racially-motivated assault. Investigations are ongoing to identify a suspect. This includes analysing any closed-circuit TV footage from the nightclub."

When the Evening News approached Boleyn's nightclub about the incident, which happened at around 1.10am on Sunday morning, a spokesman said CCTV footage was awaiting collection by the police and he was unable to make any comment.

It is not known whether the footage will show the incident.

Police are appealing for anyone who was at the club at the time of the attack, or who has any information about the incident, to contact 0845 6060247, quoting the crime reference number 12080100135, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.