POLICE are hunting thugs who slashed two young men in the face on the streets of Glasgow.

The weekend attacks came as details were unveiled for a major conference on knife crime.

The first of the assaults came around 8.30pm on Friday as a 17-year-old was walking along the canal bank at the rear of Wyvis Quadrant in Garscadden.

He was approached by at least two men, assaulted - and then struck on the face with a bladed weapon.

He needed treatment for a serious facial injury at the Western Infirmary before being discharged.

The second attack came around 7.30pm on Saturday in the Gorbals.

A 25-year-old man was talking to a friend in St Luke's Place, near the back of the Citizens Theatre, when another man approached.

The thug slashed the 25-year-old, inflicting a serious facial injury.

The victim was rushed by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary where he is now in a stable condition. His friend was unhurt.

These latest incidents came as it was revealed that almost 90 teenagers will get the chance to speak about violence and knife crime at a special conference next month.

Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh will host the event, which will examine why people carry knives, and what needs to be done to change attitudes and behaviour.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "Too many people carry knives and get involved in violence in Scotland. As a consequence too many lives - particularly young lives - are lost or damaged by knives.

"If we as a government are to successfully tackle the problem, we need to understand why people are carrying knives and what will change their attitude to knives and violence. That's why we've organised this conference.

"We want to hear directly from those who can often be most affected by these issues.

"We want young people to be part of the solution to this problem and I think they can play a vitally important role, both at the conference and in the communities where they live."