THE gutless, unprovoked bashing of a man with a hammer has Earlville residents in hiding from a group of thugs using an unlit park as their base to terrorise the neighbourhood.

Andrew Neilsen was bashed by six teenagers aged 12 to 17 who used a claw hammer, push bike, pallet, sledge hammer and rocks to thump him at Lions Park on Sunday about 9.30pm.

He was picking up his partner’s son, Corey Tucker, from work at KFC, where staff have already banned the teenagers because of vandalism and threats to customers.

Residents told The Cairns Post they feared walking near the park at night, following an attempted rape last month and Mr Neilsen’s vicious
bashing.

The Cairns Regional Council plans to install three lights next week but the community, restaurant staff and Mr Neilsen’s family say the problem is now out of hand.

Recounting his attack, Mr Neilsen said he was waiting at a gazebo in the park for Corey to finish his first shift at KFC when the group circled him.

"They came up really quickly and said: ‘What did you say to our women?’," Mr Neilsen said.

"Then it was on. They were like a pack of animals." The attack lasted 10 minutes and included a bike and pallet being thrown at Mr Neilsen.

KFC store manager Krystal Breasley said staff were scared to leave at night.

Cairns Regional councillor Kirsten Lacina said she had used $23,000 of her divisional funds to help pay for the lights and had pushed for their installation since March.

Police Acting Sergeant Cary Coolican said police regularly patrolled the area.

"We see it as an issue but we need people to report every incident to us for us to act," she said.

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