A DESIGNER who was left with a black eye after being thumped by an angry commuter says he could have been killed by the one-punch attack.

Sam Holland, of Elm Road, Leigh, was travelling home from London at about 9pm with his legs resting on the seat.

A man ordered the 31-year-old to take his feet off the seat, despite Mr Holland pointing out they were not touching the fabric.

Mr Holland said he was bemused by the man’s attitude because there were just seven other commuters on the carriage. He said: “A few minutes later he came back and pulled my legs off the seat.

“He was looming over me and I felt I needed to stand up. I didn’t feel I was doing anything wrong. I started to speak to another passenger about the situation and then I was hit.”

Mr Holland said the punch connected with his right eye, his head went back and hit the wall of the carriage, temporarily causing him to lose consciousness.

Mr Holland, who designs watches, was taken to Southend Hospital but was left with no permanent damage.

He said: “Since it happened I have read story after story about people dying from a single punch. I just want to use this opportunity to say: ‘I didn’t die but I could have.’”

British Transport Police (BTP) investigated and seized CCTV footage. However, the footage did not work and officers then interviewed the man, who said he was acting in self-defence.

BTP told Mr Holland the man will face no further action because he claimed he had “reasonable excuse to act in the way he did.”

Mr Holland said he wants witnesses to the November 15 incident to come forward. He added: “I just want to highlight that this is just not a nice thing to do to somebody. I just see it too often- there are too many angry people on that line.”

A BTP spokesman said: “The case was NFA, this is subject to change pending new evidence coming to light.”

“Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 1600063985.”