Man believes attack was racially motivated

Lenny Ankum had a bottle smashed over his head and was glassed in the face by a gang of men as he left a pub near Peterlee, County Durham.

The self-employed plasterer, whose father is from Ghana, told The Northern Echo last night that he was convinced he was the victim of racist thugs.

"As I walked across to the car I was aware someone was behind me and suddenly without any warning I was struck in the face with a glass and then they smashed a bottle over my head.''

Throughout the assault the men, he said called out racists remarks to him with one shouting "cut his throat''.

"If my wife hadn't started to scream I am sure they would have done much worse to me than they did,'' said Lenny who struggled back into The Royal George pub in Old Shotton, where the police and an ambulance were called.

He had been out with a friend for a quiet drink and left the pub at around 11.15pm last Thursday to meet his wife, who was driving him back to their Peterlee home.

But as he walked towards his wife's car, the 45-year-old, was set upon by a group of at least three men in their 20s and 30s.

He was first taken to Hartlepool University Hospital before being switched to the Sunderland General where he had the ten metal staples inserted in the wounds.

The attack has left him with blinding headaches and left him feeling very wary. "I will certainly be looking over my shoulder from now on," he added.

PC Kevin Olver who is leading the inquiry, said: "This appears to be an entirely unprovoked and cowardly assault''

But he said that he believed it was not initially a racially motivated attack although he confirmed "a number of racial insults were shouted".

He added: "I also believe his attackers may have been inside the pub during the course of the evening."

He appealed to anyone who saw Mr Anknum in the Royal George or who witnessed the attack to call him at Peterlee CID on 0191-3752611 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.