Port Stephens police officers were called to the pizza outlet at about 8.40pm on Australia Day after receiving reports that a group of youths were damaging property and refusing to leave.

The store manager told the Examiner that both he, and a male employee, were assaulted when they attempted to usher the group off the premises.

Paramedics took a man, 28, believed to be an employee of the store to hospital with a suspected broken nose.

Four males, aged between 16 and 22, were arrested but later released pending further inquiries.

Investigators are reviewing witness statements and CCTV footage of the incident.

It follows a similar incident outside a cafe at d'Albora Marinas last month, in which police were also called and forced to use capsicum spray.