Police are appealing for witnesses to help solve the mystery of how a 26-year-old man suffered a serious head injury on a street that runs next to a cemetery, north of Sydney.
Police say the man was walking with a male friend on Green Street, a no-through road that runs alongside Belmont Cemetery in Belmont South, south of Newcastle, about 9.25am on Sunday
His friend was walking a short distance ahead, past a row of squat, brown brick homes, when he heard a noise at the intersection of Green and Marriot streets.
He turned around to find his friend lying on the road with blood running from the back on his head.
Paramedics treated the victim at the scene before taking him to John Hunter Hospital, where he was in a stable condition on Monday morning.
Nothing further is known about how he suffered the injury.
Police officers from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command have appealed for public assistance to piece together what happened.
Anyone who with information should contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.