A man remains in the intensive care ward of Nelson Hospital after being attacked while walking home from a party just after midnight on Friday.
Police say Brent Powell was left for dead, and is lucky to have survived head and face injuries and fractures, a broken jaw and broken teeth.
The 40-year-old lay unconscious on Hardy St for about seven hours before being found by a passing jogger.
Some neighbours heard a fight but did not call police, who are now appealing for help to identify the attacker.
Mr Powell's twin brother, Greg Monaghan, says he can't understand why people who heard the attack did not call police. One neighbour actually saw the assault, he says, but went back to bed.
Mr Monaghan says his brother is to be transferred to Wellington for surgery.
