Epping Forest Guardian:

A man suffered a serious head injury after he was brutally beaten on the floor by a group of teenagers.

At around 5pm yesterday Peter Yerrell was driving to the shops in Hillyfields, Waltham Abbey when he accidentally clipped a pedestrian with his car.

With the boy appearing to be physically fine, he drove on to Downlands and got out of the vehicle.

A pair of boys had followed him from the shops and attacked him from behind, knocking Mr Yerrell to the floor.

The 56-year-old window cleaner was hit by a group of six to ten boys while he lay immobilised, the teenagers using rocks and a traffic cone to beat him.

Shane Yerrell, his son, said: "He said it happened so quickly. They were hitting him on the floor.

"Who does that? There is no morals or respect. I was no angel as a teenager, but not in this way.

"Why is there one of them who says 'hang on this is wrong?'"

After spending the night in hospital Mr Yerrell was allowed home with a large cut on his forehead and two black eyes.

The boy who wielded the traffic cone is described as being between 12 and 14 years of age, white, around 5ft 7ins tall with light brown hair.

Another of the attackers was a man wearing dark clothes described as being black, around 6ft tall, of a slim build and around 21-years old.

Officers arrived on Downlands and searched the surrounding area but did not find anyone matching the descriptions given.

The victim was taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The force's enquiries are ongoing and detectives would like to speak to witnesses or anyone who saw suspicious behaviour in the area around the time of the incident.

Please call PC Amy Kavanagh at Loughton CID on 101, quoting 42/28277/19.

Information can also be given completely anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org/