A CHEF said he feared for his life after being subjected to a "vicious unprovoked assault" as he walked home from work.

Michael Lucas suffers from a painful, rare condition and said that the agony after a blow to the side of his face was so severe that he felt it could have killed him.

The 43-year-old was dragged to the floor before being punched and kicked by two men in Spring Hill Road, Accrington, at 10.40pm on Monday.

Mr Lucas, a married father-of-three, was walking alone after leaving his job at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors.

He suffers from a severe form of trigeminal neuralgia, which causes sudden, intense pain in his face.

The banquet chef said: "It was an absolutely terrifying experience and I have been very lucky not to have been more seriously hurt.

"I have a very serious condition and have just increased my medication.

"When I was first hit I feared for the worst."

Police said that Mr Lucas was attacked from behind after passing two men who were arguing. As he got close to them he was suddenly attacked.

He added: "I was hit with a blunt object in the back of the head and then as I fell I was punched and kicked. I think I must have blacked out because the next thing I knew the men had run off."

Mr Lucas then stumbled to his nearby home and his family called an ambulance.

Det Con Mark Cruise said: "We are treating it as an unprovoked attack and are hoping to speak to any witnesses.

"A woman was driving alone in the road in a small red car at the time and this witness may hold vital information about the attack."

Police said they were not ruling out the fact that the attack might have been an attempted robbery.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 01254 353742 quoting log number 321EQ/121107 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.