A CYCLIST is recovering at home after being dragged off his bike in what police have branded a senseless prank.

The 50-year-old was badly injured after the male passenger of a passing van grabbed hold of him and pulled him off his cycle and on to the road.

Detectives are now hunting the assailant and the driver of the yellow Vauxhall Astra van and appealing to the public for information.

PC Mark McGregor, of Durham Police, said last night that the incident could have been far worse.

"It is not hard to imagine the victim being dragged under the wheels of the van or being struck by another vehicle," he said.

"We can only assume this may have seemed like a prank but it was a senseless thing to do."

The keen cyclist, a teaching assistant who has asked not to be identified, was riding home from the school where he works at about 4.30pm last Thursday when the attack took place.

He was peddling his bike on the Blackie Boy Road, Chilton Moor, just on the Durham side of its boundary with Sunderland, near Houghton-le-Spring.

As he approached the Chilton Country Lodge, cycling in the direction of Fence Houses, the van drew up alongside him.

The male van passenger, described as in his mid-30s with dark cropped hair, leaned out of the window and grabbed hold of the cyclist.

He fell heavily on his side, suffering multiple bruising, cuts, a badly injured left shoulder, and hand injuries that needed stitches.

The van driver sped away leaving the victim, from nearby Hetton-le-Hole, shaken and sore.

His £2,000 bike was badly damaged.

PC McGregor said: "The gentleman concerned has been left very shaken by the incident and we're hoping someone may know who was driving and who owns the yellow van."

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC McGregor on Durham Police on 0845 60 60 365.