THE disabled deputy Imam of a Kent mosque is recovering from a horrific daylight attack.

At 6pm last Sunday (August 21), Arshed Mahmood left the mosque in Mote Road, Maidstone, to walk around the town.

The 51-year-old father-of-four, headed towards Upper Stone Street. As he neared the Papermakers Arms pub, he noticed a group of people stood outside.

Mr Mahmood said a man holding a pushchair with a child sat inside hit him on the leg with the pushchair and made racial comments.

He said he was then attacked by a second man who hit him on the back of the head with a glass.

"I was punched for or five times in the face. There was a lot of blood on the pavement, on my clothes," said Mr Mahmood.

The attacker took Mr Mahmood's crutches, which he can't walk without, and tried to break one of them on the ground. He threw the crutches away.

A couple who tried to help Mr Mahmood had abuse thrown at them by the attacker, who then fled the scene.

Staff at the nearby Eagle pub came to Mr Mahmood's aid while the emergency services were called.

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