Police are conducting house to house enquiries after an attempted robbery in Deal on Thursday evening (26 January 2012) in which a man was hit around the head with what was described as an iron bar.

The victim, a 46-year-old local man, was walking home from work along Church Path at about 7.20pm when two men suddenly appeared and demanded money.

When he told them he didn’t have any they hit him around the head with an iron bar. He made his own way, the short distance to Deal Hospital where he reported the incident to staff who alerted police.

Detective Sergeant Sheena Barrell said: “Doctors believe the victim was hit around the head four times. He still has concussion, two lumps to the back of his head, cuts to his left eye area which have been stitched and a fractured right cheekbone, which will require an operation to put right.

“This was a very nasty and completely unprovoked attack on a man who was simply walking home after a day’s work, and we are determined to find the two offenders.

“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area last night to contact us. We would particularly like to speak to a woman out walking her small brown dog who walked past the victim in Church Path moments before the incident took place, as she may have vital information that could help with our investigation.”

The two offenders are both described as white males aged about 18. Both had dark hair.

Officers are in the area today, Friday 27 January 2012 conducting house to house enquiries.

If you can help phone Kent Police on 101 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting crime number ZY/2609/12.

© Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2012