A GOOD Samaritan has re-lived the moment he was savagely beaten by two men after he stopped in the street to roll them some cigarettes.

Raymond Bolland, 39, of Colne, spent a week in hospital and has been left too scared to go out alone after the attack.

The devastated father-of-three, who has undergone an operation for a blood clot caused by a hemorrhage in his cheek, suffered extensive injuries including cuts to the top of his head and eye, a black eye and bruising to his face and body.

He was making his way home along the lower end of Albert Road in the early hours of the morning after the Colne Rhythm and Blues Festival had finished when he was asked for a cigarette by a man.

Mr Bolland agreed and when he turned his back to roll up two cigarettes he was set upon by two men.

He was passing the train station on his own when the thugs launched the unprovoked attack, repeatedly punching him in he head and body and knocking him to the ground.

Speaking after he was released from Royal Blackburn Hospital, the married self-employed electrician, said: "I had been volunteering at the rugby club, booking in campers for the weekend's festival and had gone to a friend's house to have a couple of bottles of wine and a pizza.

"I was walking home when I was asked for cigarette. As I turned to make them I was attacked.

"I was grabbed by the throat and held by one and punched and kicked by the other.

"It was awful, there was nothing I could do. I won't leave home alone now, it has really affected my life.

"It was a mindless assault. They didn't swear or even say anything, they were just out to beat someone up. A third man was shouting leave him alone'. It is sickening because if it had been an older victim they could quite easily find that they have committed a murder.

"I just want these men to be caught before it happens to anyone else, the next victim may not be so lucky."

Det Con Neil Morris, of Nelson CID, said: "I would ask the offenders to this unprovoked attack to give themselves up.

"There is no suggestion the third, pale faced man took part in the attack, from what we know he actually shouted at the men to stop the attack. We need to speak to him as a witness, he clearly has valuable information as to the identity of the attackers and I would ask for him to come forward."

Police are hunting an Asian male in his late 20s, approximately 6ft tall, medium build. He was clean shaven with black combed back hair.

The second man is described as white, 6ft tall, aged between 40-45 with blond/ginger hair and was wearing a black woolly hat. He also had a sandy coloured moustache.

It is possible the men were not from the area, as the attack happened during the Blues Festival Bank Holiday weekend.

Anyone with information should call Nelson CID on 01282 472643 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.