A BRUTAL racist attack has left a 62-year-old man too terrified to leave his own home.

Javed Ashraf, a chef from Graham Street, in the town centre, was beaten to the ground by three men on Friday at 1.45am after buying a pint of milk from a late-night garage.

The father-of-three said the thugs first hurled abuse at him – including calling him a “Paki” – before punching him in the back of the head.

He fell to the ground hitting his face on the pavement at Salisbury Street, Broad Green, and being left him unconscious.

The next thing Mr Ashraf remembers is being awoken by a girl named Emma who was holding his tooth in her hand.

She said the racist thugs had run off after being spooked by her and her boyfriend, who were passing by.

Mr Ashraf, who was on his back home from the Texaco garage in Fleming Way, said the incident had left him fearful and he expected to be off work for two weeks because of his injuries.

He said: “I am so scared. I have been walking my teenage daughter to school every day because she is terrified and my whole family, who were there for Eid celebrations, want me to leave Swindon.

“But I love it here, after 16 years in town I consider myself a Swindon lad. Town people are kind and peaceful. I wish I could meet these men, they all appeared in their mid-twenties.

“I would like to ask them what they thought they were doing picking on a sixty-year-old from behind on his walk home.

“The least they could have done is given me a chance to defend myself. They must have been cowards.”

Mr Ashraf said that, although this is not the first time he has faced racist violence in Swindon, it is the first time violence has altered the way he leads his life.

He added: “About six months ago someone called me a foreigner and hit me in the face, but I didn’t report that because it wasn’t so serious – but this was vicious.

“I am a peaceful man and although I have always told my wife never to walk through alleyways, I have never been afraid to go out at night on the main roads.

“Now I hope to get my driver’s licence because I am so nervous. What a terrible feeling it is being a victim.

“I hope no one has to go through this again – that’s why I went to the Adver.”

Bill Hawkins, duty inspector for Swindon Police, said: “This is a particularly cowardly attack by three males on a lone male minding his own business.”

“We believe it was racially motivated.”

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call PC Peter Smith on 0845 4087000.