A SHOCKED newspaper employee has spoken of the moment he was allegedly punched to the floor as he walked through the town centre to work.

Zeeyad Wadiwala, 22, from Shear Brow, was involved in an incident as he walked past the TJ Hughes store in Blackburn just before 2pm on Thursday.

The former Pleckgate High School and Blackburn College student, who has worked as a merchandiser at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for 18 months, suffered a broken nose and was treated in hospital for his injuries.

Three Asian men were later arrested on suspicion of committing an assault. They were released on police bail pending further inquiries until November 15.

Today Zeeyad relived the incident and said: "I can't believe something like that can happen in broad daylight in the town centre."

He revealed: "I was just walking to work through the town centre and as I passed the Vodaphone shop a couple of Asian lads walked past and nudged me.

"I just kept my head down and carried on walking, but by the time I got to TJ Hughes there were three lads in front of me. I was punched until I fell to the floor.

"My face was covered in blood and my nose was broken.

"I said 'I will remember your faces'."

Zeeyad walked the rest of the way to work at the Evening Telegraph offices, in High Street and returned to the town centre with two colleagues to try and identify the attackers.

He said they were surrounded by a group of other youths before the police arrived.

A police spokesman said: "We received a complaint of assault from Mr Wadiwala, who identified three suspects in the town centre precinct. They were arrested on suspicion of assault and were bailed pending further inquiries."