A NEWSAGENT today spoke of a terrifying early morning street attack during which he was punched in the face and his wife was racially abused.

Iqbal Patel said the assault to which an 18-year-old customer pleaded has guilty came after 15 years of unbroken good relations with residents.

The incident happened outside Mr Patel's newsagents in Hereford Road, Blackburn, in May last year, Preston Crown Court was told Regular customer David Briggs approached Mr Patel's wife Madina and said "Do you want a fight?" and made a racist comment, as she unloaded papers from her car outside the shop, the court was told.

Biggs' girlfriend told him to stop. He picked up a bundle of papers and walked away. He dropped them when confronted by Mr Patel but punched the newsagent in the nose as he bent down to pick them up.

The 52-year-old today told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph the incident happened at 5.15am.

He said: "I was shaken up. I have been here for 15 years and nothing has ever happened like this.

"I was breathing very badly after he hit me.

"You are not expecting anything like that first thing in the morning.

"I have known a lot of people for those 15 years, it is a good community we have built here so this is the odd person who has started trouble."

Biggs, of Maricourt Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated actual bodily harm assault and a racially aggravated offence of putting someone in fear of violence. The court was told the assault immediately caused Mr Patel's nose to bleed.

He went on to be treated at Blackburn Infirmary for bruising and swelling and was unable to do full duties for two weeks because of nasal pain.

In police interview Biggs told officers he had not made any racist comments.

Biggs was remanded on bail to March 13.