A TEENAGER was beaten up in a vicious attack by baseball-bat wielding thugs.

Terry McDonough, 16, was on his way home from work when he was confronted by two car loads of youths, aged between 17 and 19 years, in Audley, Blackburn.

They demanded cash, but when Terry refused to hand over any money he was beaten and kicked.

Terry, who works at the children's play centre Alphabet Zoo in Blackburn, said: "I struggled to stay on my feet because they were jumping all over me."

One of the thugs, said to be Asians, hit Terry with a baseball bat but the teenager believed his padded "bubble" coat saved him from further injury.

He said: "The coat is really padded and took most of the blows but my head is covered in lumps and I've had to take pain killers. They were all punching me in the head and kicking my body."

Terry, who managed to break free from the gang and run back to his workplace, was treated at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

The teenager was so traumatised by the attack which happened on Wednesday at 7.30pm, that he now travels by taxi to and from work, rather making the 10-minute walk home to Stanford Gardens, HIghercroft.

A Blackburn police spokesman said they were investigating an alleged assault. Anyone with information should contact Blackburn police on 01254 51212.

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