A Sri Lankan man needed stitches after being hit over the head with a wooden pole in an unprovoked racial assault.

At around 9.50pm on Sunday, the Sri Lankan victim was loading items into the boot of his car in Taunton Vale, Gravesend, when the attacker approached him.

He racially abused the victim before hitting him over the head with what is believed to be a wooden pole.

The offender walked off towards a nearby construction site and the victim's family called the emergency services.

He was taken to hospital with a head wound that needed stitches.

His attacker is described as a white man in his mid-20s or early 30s, of large and muscular build and around 6ft tall.

"This was a disgraceful assault by a complete stranger on a man who was minding his own business" - DC James Greenidge

He wore a brown or orange balaclava, a white T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, believed to be grey.

DC James Greenidge said: "This was a disgraceful assault by a complete stranger on a man who was minding his own business.

"We are working to identify the offender and I would ask anybody who witnessed the incident or who has any information whatsoever to contact me."

You can call 01474 366093, quoting crime reference XY/030216/14.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.