A YOUNG man spoke this week of how he became the victim of a vicious attack by four thugs as he drove home to Salisbury on Sunday evening.

The 20-year-old, who is called Richard and is only 5ft 2in tall, was repeatedly punched in the face by the men, leaving him needing hospital treatment.

He had been returning from Fordingbridge to Salisbury along the A338 in his Vauxhall Astra and, as he approached the bend by Downton School at about 8.30pm, saw a silver Citroen Saxo, which had been ahead of him and was being driven erratically, pull over and stop.

"Four men got out of the car and started shouting abuse," he said.

"They said I had been flashing my headlights but I did not have my headlights on."

One man smashed the driver's window and Richard was punched in the face.

"I was taken out of the car, but then they bundled me back in, so no one would see," he said. "Only one could have a go at one time, so I was quite lucky I suppose, but they kept hitting me.

"I pretended to be knocked out but they kept going. I had cuts on my legs from the broken glass and bruising to the right side of my face and the back of my head, but the hospital said nothing is broken.

"I am still shaken up and very sore. I have never seen these people before in my life - I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.