Ambushed

Brian Calder, a 46-year-old former builder from Leith, was ambushed by the gang as he cycled along the seafront promenade in Granton.

The workman - who quit his job after developing the spinal disease spondylitis a few years ago - said his wallet and mobile phone were left untouched by the thugs.

He was stopped by a man on the promenade who politely asked him for a light. But after lighting his cigarette, the youth kicked Mr Calder's bike, sending him crashing to the ground.

As he struggled to get up, more thugs appeared and started punching and kicking Mr Calder in the head, leaving him bloodied and unconscious.

The assault left him with multiple fractures to his face, broken fingers and a deep cut to his forehead. He said the ambush had been "totally out of the blue".

He was rushed to Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary after the attack, which took place as he cycled home from a friend's house at about 9.30pm on Wednesday.

He said: "It was a terrifying thing to happen.

"One minute, it was a really peaceful night and I was cycling along the Granton promenade on my way home and the next I was lying in the street with blow after blow raining down on me.

"I'd seen a guy sitting on the wall on the waterfront who had stepped down and asked me for a light. He didn't look particularly rough or violent and was very polite, so I gave him one and didn't suspect anything.

"He took a long drag on his cigarette and just looked at me in a way that spooked me a little. I was about to cycle off when he kicked me and the bike over on to the pavement.

"The next thing I knew, there were punches and kicks coming from all directions. It was obviously more than one guy, but I couldn't see the others and had no idea where they had come from.

"I was getting punched and kicked in the head and neck and there was blood everywhere. I must have passed out because when I came to they had stopped and were walking away.

"But they didn't take my money or my mobile phone. If it had been an attack to get money for drugs, or if they had been drunk, I could have understood it, but there was no motive at all.

"I'm not sure I'll ever want to go out on my bike again after this."

Mr Calder suffered a severely fractured cheek, three broken fingers, a broken hand and cuts and bruises to his face and neck.

He was released from hospital on Thursday but has had further treatment for his injuries in the days following the attack.

He added: "I just hope the police catch the people who did this. It's left me with these injuries that are going to take weeks to heal. I'm worried that, if I leave the house, people are going to look at me and won't realise what has happened. They'll just think I am a thug.

"I'm also concerned that, if the guys who attacked me aren't caught, they'll just do it to someone else. It seemed like a carefully planned attack, so there's every chance that they could seriously hurt someone else."

Police said they were appealing for information about the incident and issued a description of the man who kicked over Mr Calder and his bike.

He is described as being between 16 and 20 years old, around 5ft ten inches tall, with spiked hair and "bad skin". He was wearing a dark-coloured denim jacket, dark blue jeans and heavy boots.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "We are appealing for witnesses to this serious assault and would urge anyone who may have seen the attack to come forward."

Anyone with information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311 3131.