A grandad had his finger blown off when a hooded thug hurled a powerful firework at him.

Joe White was tending his garden when a youth hurled a Death Bomber in his direction.

The explosive hit Mr White on the chest and shoulder causing serious injuries to his side, left arm and hand - including blowing off the top of his middle finger.

Yesterday, the 59-year-old, a stock manager at a cable firm, condemned the attacker who police believe was a boy aged between 12 and 14.

He was fixing a hinge on his garden gate when the youth threw the firework over his fence.

Police believe the explosive device was deliberately aimed at the grandfather, who lives in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, with his wife, Bernice.

Mr White said: "I was just kneeling down and I felt something hit me and then this big bang.

"At first I thought I had been shot. I couldn't believe it.

"I fell over. I was walking around. I could see where I was, but I couldn't see anything except all this blood pumping out of me.

"There was no way when I was out working on that gate that I expected to end up in hospital.

"My wife was sitting watching the telly. Then she saw me walking around the garden all bloody.

"It's just unbelievable. If it had been in my face it would have wiped my face off. It would have blinded.

"Apparently the person who did this just walked off."

Mr White, who also suffered a perforated eardrum, was rushed to the University Hospital of Hartlepool and then the burns unit at Middlesbrough General Hospital where he was detained overnight.

He now faces weeks of pain and treatment and may yet need skin grafts to his six per cent burns.

The incident, at 4.40pm on Sunday, was not the first time Mr White and his wife, Bernice, 57, have had their home targeted by yobs throwing fireworks.

Over the past couple of years there have been a string of similar incidents in which fireworks have been thrown - but the couple have no idea why.

Mr White said: "We've never done anything wrong.

"I wouldn't want it to happen to anybody else.

"There are children living all round this estate."

The suspect, who was spotted by neighbours, was between 5ft and 5ft 2ins,of slim build and was wearing a cream or fawn hooded top with dark sleeves. He was also holding a light blue plastic carrier bag.

A spokeswoman for Hartlepool Police said officers would be speaking to Mr White again today in an attempt to find further clues to the identity of his attacker.

She said: "Anybody who may have witnessed anything or have any information should contact the police."

Inspector Andy McDyer said: "This was potentially a very serious attack and could have led to a death in this case."