The girlfriend of a 25-year-old man who was kicked, strangled and beaten in an unprovoked attack by a gang of men in Deal has bravely spoken of their horrific ordeal.

The Mercury is protecting the identity of the couple who were picked on by six men in the town centre near the Queen Street traffic lights last Tuesday night.

The girlfriend, who still fears for their safety, said: “We are worried they’ll come after us again,” but she spoke to us in the hope it will help catch them.

Police are investigating and appealing for witnesses.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Emma Banks said: ‘This was a vicious, unprovoked assault.”

The woman had finished work at 9pm on Tuesday, May 7, and was met by her boyfriend, who was walking her home towards the town.

The girlfriend said: “We got near the traffic lights where London Road meets Queen Street and there was a big group of lads on the path.

“Normally we would have walked round them but there was traffic coming towards us so we walked through them.

“One of them started harassing me and my boyfriend asked him to leave me alone and we carried on walking. Then he and his friends came running along the road and attacked him. "They were punching and kicking and pulled him to the floor."

The victim, who has been signed off work, suffered multiple injuries including bruising to his face, neck, ribs and chest.

"This was a vicious, unprovoked assault. We need the public to help us identify the people responsible" - Kent Police

But the phychological damage is also starting to show.

"He can't sleep, mainly becaiuse of the pain, but he keeps on thinking about it," she said.

His girlfriend tried pulling them away but there were too many.

"Once it was over, I had to walk him home and I phoned a taxi to take him to A&E"

It is only now, a week on, that the swelling has gone and the bruising is starting to fade.

"I don't know what makes people do things like this," said the girlfriend. "You hear about it, but you just don't think it's going to happen to you."

Three of the six men were main perpetrators.

Det Ch Insp Banks said: "We need the public to help us identify the people responsible.

"We would particularly like to hear from other people in the group of youths who had nothing to do with the assault."

Contact Kent Police on 101 quoting reference: ZY/13060/13 or call Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111