A SALES director suffered serious eye injuries after he was allegedly the victim of an unprovoked early hours attack, a court was told.

Andrew Cook was said to have been set on by Patrick Whitney, 18, when he went outside because his car alarm was going off.

Burnley Crown Court heard Mr Cook, who works in computers, suffered a break to his retina and feared waking up blinded.

Whitney, of York Street, Crawshawbooth, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, last February. He claims the incident was not an unprovoked attack and he was acting in self defence. Whitney was bailed until April 6 for his case to be mentioned and a trial over the facts will be held. He has no previous convictions.

Bob Elias, prosecuting, told the court the offence was "bizarre". The victim and his wife had left their Mercedes near Commercial Street in Loveclough because the road was icy. They returned to their nearby home, went to bed and shortly afterwards, the car alarm started.

Mr Cook found two of the vehicle's windows broken. The defendant was standing nearby and said he had seen some lads running away. Mr Cook went to the Top Club for bags to seal the windows and phoned his wife.

Whitney said he had seen the man who damaged Mr Cook's car driving by while he was away. Mr Cook was then allegedly struck a blow to his face, a second blow knocked his glasses off, reducing his visibility, and he was then hit again to the top of his head.

Mr Elias said Mr Cook was covered in blood, grabbed hold of the defendant to try to stop the alleged attack and suffered a fourth blow. The prosecutor said Mr Cook was shouting "Harry" to a relative and made his way to the Top Club where Harry Aspin was. Mr Aspin came and detained the defendant.

Mr Elias alleged: "The defendant was fighting mad. He shouted to onlookers: "Come on, I will fight the lot of you." One man rugby tackled him to the ground and restrained him."

Police arrived and Whitney was arrested. Mr Cook suffered cuts and swelling and had to have treatment to seal a retinal break in his eye. His eye recovery was being monitored.

He also suffered reduced sensation in his cheek but medics believed it was due to nerve damage rather than bone injury.

The prosecutor told the court that after the alleged attack, Mr Cook was worried doctors could not give him a 100 per cent guarantee his eye would fully recover. He was worried he would wake up and find his vision affected.

Mr Cook was now anxious about walking to his car and "felt ridiculous" feeling panicky about it.