A TEENAGE gang left a man with broken bones and struggling to breath following a brutal and unprovoked attack with a metal pole near a train station.

The victim suffered a fractured skull, fractured ribs and a broken nose during the random assault.

The victim was walking home from Laindon Station along Valence Way, Langdon Hills, when he spotted a group of seven or eight teenagers, aged between 13 and 17.

They asked him for a lighter, but he ignored them, thinking they were looking for trouble.

They started shouting across the street, calling him a “paedo” and a “nonce” and he attempted to get to some nearby houses in the hope it would make them stop.

He said: “I was hit from behind with a metal pole I had seen one of them holding.

“I was struck in the back of the head then the arm.

“I turned round to defend myself but had nothing on me so I grabbed the bottle recycling box outside one of the houses and held it up.

“I was struck again and I threw the box in the attempt to get away.

“I was then punched in the ear.

“I turned and grabbed the one that had hit me but I was then punched again from behind by another one. They used my backpack to pull me down. Then two more ran over and four of them stamped on me, kicking and punching.”

Passersby came to his aid, but the gang of youths then turned on them as well.

Eventually the yobs gave up and ran off.

Their victim was left with serious injuries including fractures to his skull, eye socket and ribs, damage to the nerves in his cheek and he can no longer breath through his nose.

He added: “I never wanted any trouble. I am a hardworking, family man and nobody should ever have to experience what I did.

“It could have cost my children their father all because some people can not control their children or teach them that that behaviour is wrong, dangerous and destroys lives and I don’t just mean mine.

“I hope their parents are proud of what they created and what they are letting roam the streets terrorising innocent people for their own enjoyment.

“My children are young. They didn’t know why this happened to daddy and they can’t understand why some people would do this to another person. They are also traumatised by seeing my injuries as well as me not being able to lift them, play with them etc for however short a period of time due to the disgusting actions of these children.”

He praised those who stopped to help. He added: “I would like to personally thank those wonderful people who saved me. We all are truly grateful and hope one day we meet again under better circumstances.”

The victim has spoken out in an attempt to get witnesses to come forward to stop anyone else being hurt.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called at around 7.45pm on Thursday to reports that a man was assaulted by a group of men in Debden Green, Langdon Hills. The man, aged in his 30s, reported up to five suspects approached him and asked him for a lighter. When he declined, he was assaulted and was taken to hospital.” Call Basildon police with information on 101 quoting incident 42/129288/18.