A pub landlord rushed to give first aid to a customer felled by a single punch.

The victim is now in a specialist London hospital battling life-threatening injuries, and police have appealed for witnesses to the altercation in Maidstone.

Publican Matthew Bryant said the attack happened between 7.30pm and 7.45pm last night in Lower Boxley Road, Maidstone, close to his pub, the Hare and Hounds.

Mr Bryant told KentOnline: "One punch and he went down. His head hit the concrete."

Mr Bryant, 51, and another customer, both qualified first aiders, rushed outside to aid the casualty. Another customer had dialled 999.

He said: "We put the victim in the recovery position and I stayed on the phone talking to the ambulance service for instructions.

"Fair play to them, they came in five minutes and took over.

"The victim was not conscious or responding to us. His breathing was spasmodic, like a light snoring, but at least he was still breathing."

A 25-year old man from Maidstone has been arrested on suspicion of affray and taken in to custody.

Mr Bryant believes the victim was first taken to Maidstone Hospital but ended up going to King's College Hospital in south London, a major trauma centre.

Afterwards he and other eyewitnesses gave statements to police, and officers were able to examine footage from pub CCTV cameras pointing towards the scene of the assault.

The road outside the pub remained taped off for much of today but re-opened about 2pm.

"One punch and he went down. His head hit the concrete ..."

A small section of road between the pub and Maidstone Prison had also been closed off.

Mr Bryant said he believed the victim, in his late 40s, was struck in Lower Boxley Road, between the pub and Invicta House car park, after an altercation with another man.

He is a regular at the Hare and Hounds.

Mr Bryant and partner Caroline Tierney took over the pub in 2015.

He has been a pub landlord for 25 years and also has long experience as a door supervisor, off and on for 30 years.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "Officers were called with ambulance crews to the Hare and Hounds public house in Lower Boxley Road, shortly after 8.35pm on Saturday.

"It was reported a man had sustained life-threatening injuries following an altercation and was taken to a London hospital.

"A 25-year old man from Maidstone has been arrested on suspicion of affray and taken in to custody."

Officers would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information which could help their inquiries.

Witnesses should call police on 01622 604100 quoting 46/162838/22.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or by using the online form on their website crimestoppers-uk.org.