A man suffering from panic attacks and flashbacks after his head was stamped on during an attack in Southend has paid back those who helped him to recover.

Stuart Jones, 31, was left unconscious and bleeding in the street after he received a fractured skull and jaw after three men punched him to the ground and stamped on his head during a night out.

Following the unprovoked attack outside Tasty Chicken, in London Road, in May 2010, Mr Jones, of Rosberg Road, Canvey, was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and psychosis.

He had to leave his job as forklift truck driver in Laindon after struggling to cope.

However, he has now held a fundraiser for mental health charity Mind, which helped him after the assault.

He said: “The early intervention team helped me, but I wanted to give something back to raise awareness of mental health charities.

“I am still struggling with it all. I am taking medication and I have regular flashbacks and nightmares.

“I have good days and bad days. I try to cope with every day as it comes.”

On Sunday, he took part in a charity beard shave at the Haystack pub, in Furtherwick Road, Canvey, where friends and family helped raise more than £800 when they shaved off the beard he’s been growing for two years, which reached his chest.

Mr Jones now wants to use his experiences to highlight mental illness. He remembers the attack clearly to this day.

He said: “The men were outside attacking a girl – they punched her in the nose.

“Then there was a bloke who intervened and they started fighting on the floor.

“While all this was happening, I was in the takeaway shop. I came out and took a bite out of my burger.

“The bloke who they were attacking ran past me and they gave chase, but instead of attacking him, they hit me from behind. I didn’t even see them coming.

“I bashed my head on the wall.

“I was unconscious and then they stamped on my face.

“I still have numbness in my lip where they cut through the nerves.”

About the beard shave, he said: “It was good fun. The pub was packed out.”