was given a severe street beating after being thrown out by doormen.

The 36-year-old man had been punched, kicked and beaten about the head and body by up to seven men in Court Street's Swinging Doors club early yesterday.

Bouncers threw all the brawlers onto the street. The Canadian, who has not been identified, continued to be attacked on the sidewalk, suffering deep gashes to his lips, a swollen jaw and other facial injuries.

He eventually escaped by running down Court Street towards the centre of Hamilton.

Club owner Voorhees Lightbourne told The Royal Gazette last night that he was "concerned'' by the incident.

"I am now interviewing the security guards,'' he added. "We are finding out exactly what happened.'' But the club's head of security, Delton Stovell, said his first instinct was to protect everybody else in the club.

And he said he tried to break up the brawl which spilled outside.

"There were a group of about eight people fighting and we couldn't tell who was the victim,'' he said.

"Our first inclination was to ensure the safety of everybody else in the club, because bottles were being thrown.

"That's why we forced everybody outside. I was actually manhandled by a couple of guys and I tried to break it up.

"But the Canadian man managed to run off after a while and the Police were called.'' Police said they were investigating an "alleged unprovoked attack''.

But Mr. Stovell said the tourist started the trouble when he caught somebody in the face with his "wild dancing''.

He added: "He accidentally hit a certain client in the face with his hands.

"The client told him to stay cool and that type of thing but the reply from the guy was: `Get out of my face'.

"That provoked the incident and I got that from a bartender and other witnesses.'' Police said the visitor, who was with a woman, had twice been approached by a man inside the club.

A Police spokeswoman said the unidentified man stood on the victim's foot and then brushed against his shoulder.

She added: "The third `confrontation' resulted in the man punching the victim in his face and an accomplice kicking him on the knee, causing him to fall.

"Three other men then joined in the alleged unprovoked attack and he was beaten about the head and body.

"Security then intervened and the attack continued outside of the club, until the visitor was able to escape and run to a nearby store for safety.'' She said the victim was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

The attack came days after The Royal Gazette revealed Swinging Doors was playing a leading role in the fight against youth violence.

The club has joined a new initiative to beef up security on doors and check for under-age drinking.

Anyone with information about the latest incident is urged to call Police in Hamilton on 295-0011.