By Dylan Welch

A man has been savagely bashed with an iron pipe and a knife overnight, suffering a broken shoulder and arm, stab wounds and facial injuries - and all his attackers took was a cigarette lighter and cigarettes, police say.

The 21-year-old Waratah man was walking along Vere Road in Adamstown, near the junction of Narara Road about 10.50pm when he was approached by four men.

According to police the man’s recollection of the attack is vague, but he told police little was said before the four men set upon him with an iron bar and a knife.

He was hit several times on the head and arms with the iron bar and received at least one stab wound to his left arm, police said.

Once the attack had finished the four men took the lighter and cigarettes from the victim and left. They were last seen getting into a vehicle in nearby Brunker Road.

Police were called and the man was taken to John Hunter hospital and treated for a suspected broken right shoulder, a broken left arm, stab wounds and head and facial lacerations.