THE owner of a Haslemere antiques shop, who was kicked and beaten until he was black and blue, has spoken out about the terrifying attack.
Bill French (68) from Objets d'Arts was mugged on Friday evening near his shop on the corner of Lower Street and Shepherds Hill.
He was attacked as he walked past the layby in Shepherds Hill and robbed of a bag which contained £200 cash, several credit cards and his wife's handbag.
The muggers, who are believed to have lain in wait in a dark side road for him, had previously slashed the tyres of his car, which was parked in a small cul-de-sac, Hales Field, off College Hill.
Badly injured, Mr French was left lying on the pavement with a broken nose, a black eye, which may have damaged his eyesight, and heavy bruising.
The police are treating the mugging as a case of grievous bodily harm and have appealed for witnesses.
The terror began last Friday when Mr French was making his way home around 7 pm.
As he was walking to his car, parked behind the shop, he became aware of two people in a parked car further down the road. He rushed to get into his car and was driving off when a man got out of the other car and banged on his window.
The man, described as white, aged from 18 to 25 years and wearing a baseball cap, told him that he had noticed that his car had a puncture.
"He told me that his friend in the parked car was a mechanic and could fix the puncture, but I knew something wasn't right and I decided that I would walk home instead," said Mr French.
He later discovered the tyres of his car and three other cars parked nearby had been slashed.
The man followed Mr French up Shepherds Hill.
"I became even more suspicious when the man approached me for the second time. He said that I should go back to my car because the police were nearby and would be able to have a look at it," he said.
But Mr French refused to go back to the car and carried on up the hill.
Within minutes, the man grabbed Mr French by his left shoulder and dragged him from the pavement into an unlit area at the side of the road.
A struggle then broke out as the man tried to grab Mr French's bag and rained down blows to his head and body.
"I tried to put up a fight but he kept on punching me and I could not see him properly because my glasses had been smashed and there was blood pouring from my eye," he said.
"The man continued to punch and kick me even after I had hit the ground."
Mr French said that he tried to keep hold of the bag but, unable to see and in fear for his life, he could not stop the man from taking it.
He believes the man made off with the bag towards the other car which sped off through Haslemere.
Mr French made his way back home and immediately called 999. The police and an ambulance arrived and he was taken to the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford.
"I was in the hospital for four hours and I received excellent care and attention. I had four X-rays but because of internal bruising, I have had to go back for more investigations," he said.
Still bruised and sore from the punches and kicks, Mr French discovered on Tuesday that his nose had been broken and his eye is permanently damaged.
He told The Herald that now he would never leave the shop at night unless his German Shepherd-cross dog Max was at his side.