AN OLD schoolfriend of a man left critically ill following a brutal attack has insisted that he had no enemies and was never involved in trouble.

Danny Girling says he was was shocked to hear his old friend Tony Miln, 40, had been left for dead after being attacked in Gun Lane, Strood. Although the friends had grown apart, Mr Girling, said he was "devastated" by the news.

The pair first met over the garden fence at their homes in Poplar Road and Poplar Close, Strood, when they were five. They often played on their bikes with other boys from Sherwin Knight infant and junior schools. They moved on to Rede School and took up fishing and watching Chelsea Football Club. Both boys applied to become apprentice sheet metal workers at Waldhams.

Mr Girling, who now works as a signalman at Clapham Junction, missed out and worked as a butcher's apprentice while his friend completed a five-year apprenticeship at the firm before moving on.

Mr Girling, who lives in Tintagel Gardens, Strood, found out about the attack on Mr Miln from his ex-wife. He said: "Diane phoned me to tell me to switch on the television and watch the news. There it was - about what had happened to Tony. I was devastated and couldn't believe what I was seeing."

The last time Mr Girling saw Mr Miln was five years ago, but had heard how he was getting on through mutual friends. He said: "I knew Tony was still living locally and my parents spoke to his parents over the fence sometimes, but there was always someone who had seen him and knew what he had been up to.

"Tony didn't have any enemies, and wasn't a loner. He just preferred his own company, especially when he got married. He was never in any trouble, or involved with drugs, so why someone wanted to harm him in that way is anyone's guess.

"He must have really upset someone though, because that sort of attack isn't spur of the moment in my book."

Police are still appealing for anyone to come forward with information about the attack. The incident room telephone number is 01634 385062.