'I didn't ask for it': Victim of last night's Bailiff Bridge attack speaks out

Craig Oddy was on his way to work at B and M in Brighouse when he was attacked last night on a footpath near Sycamore Drive.

Two men - who he says were in their late teens to early 20s - approached him and asked if the 50-year-old if he had any cash on him.

Craig said he told them: "No, sorry" - but could hear them following him.

"I turned round and as soon as I did, one of them punched me in the face and floored me," said Craig.

"The next thing I knew, I was kicked in the ribs."

The culprits then ran off. Craig rang his wife, Debra, who came rushing out to help him.

"I was winded and couldn't up. Without Debra's help, I would have been on the floor for much longer," he said.

"I don't understand why they did it. They didn't take anything, they just left me and ran off.

"I didn't ask for it. It was just mindless.

"I'm a very easy-going, placid person and don't look menacing. Maybe they thought I was an easy target."

He said because it was starting to get dark, and trees on that path stop light getting in, he did not get a good look at the two men.

He thinks they were both white and wearing dark clothing. One had a baseball cap on.

Craig has been left sore and shaken by the assault but is keen to ensure it does not happen to anyone else.

He already does a lot to help his elderly neighbours and is now hoping to secure some lighting on the path where he was attacked and get the trees cleared so it is not as dark.

"My next mission is to get some lighting down there and get those trees all cut back - make the place safer, even if I have to do it myself," he said.

Anyone with information that might help with the police's investigation into the assault, which happened at around 8.45pm yesterday (Wednesday), should call West Yorkshire Police on 101 or go online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat quoting reference 1763 of July 27.