PEOPLE close to a 40-year-old welder say they have been left baffled as to why someone would want to viciously attack him and leave him for dead.

As they keep a bedside vigil, relatives of Tony Miln are trying to piece together events which could lead them to the motive for the attack. Mr Miln, who was struck over the head with a baseball bat, remains critically ill in a specialist head injuries unit at Haywards Heath in West Sussex.

The attack took place just after 9pm last Saturday, outside the Newark Court flats in Gun Lane, Strood, where Mr Miln lived alone.

A family member said: "It remains a mystery what happened. Tony isn't a violent or abusive man. We don't know of any enemies and he wouldn't have started any trouble. It looks like he was the victim of a vicious, unprovoked attack.

"He was a quiet man, who was a loner, but not a nasty man. He would go to a quiet pub and sit on his own for a couple of pints and would be home by 8 or 9pm."

Mr Miln, a keen angler, spent Christmas with his parents and other family members in Strood and had met up with his sister just two days before the attack.

He had moved into his first-floor flat about a year ago after splitting up with his wife.

His relatives do not know where he had been the night of the attack but believe he may have visited the Cobham Inn, one of his favourite pubs.

The family member added: "The attack has devastated the whole family. Tony remains in a critical position and our thoughts are with him."

Meanwhile, three people - a man and two women - arrested by police in connection with the attack have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Det Chief Insp Colin Murray, who is heading the investigation, is renewing his appeal for information. He said: "We are renewing the appeal for anyone to come forward with any information, no matter how insignificant, that could help police piece together Mr Miln's movements."

The incident room can be contacted on 01634 385062 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.