A father-of-two was “savagely” beaten and left for dead by a gang of youths as he rode his bicycle through West Ewell.

Felipe David, a 39-year-old Portuguese national, was left with serious head injuries including a fractured skull in the attack at 9.30pm on Tuesday.

His condition in hospital was described as “critical” by police who are treating the case as attempted murder.

Mr David, who is living in Epsom, was pursued by four youths, one riding a bike, along Hogsmill Way and into Cox Lane before he was pulled off his cycle by the other rider.

He was then attacked by all four and beaten to the ground before his attackers fled along Pemberley Chase.

All four men were wearing dark clothing and were thought to be in their late teens or early 20s.

Mr David was initially taken to Epsom Hospital before being transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting.

Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling said he was appalled by the attack and called for a swift response from police.

The shadow Home Secretary said: “We all hope and pray that the victim makes a full recovery. But it will need tough police action to find the perpetrators and put them behind bars.

“We need to find out if this was an apparently motiveless crime or whether it was, for example, drink or drug-fuelled. There hasn’t been a incident like this for many years, as far I can remember.”

Councillor Stephen Pontin, of Ruxley ward, said: “I’m deeply shocked by this. It’s very rare we get anything like this in Cox Lane. But this is the second major incident in a month after the post office robbery in July.”

By Wednesday morning police had cordoned off a stretch of Cox Lane between Holman Road and Hogsmill Way to allow forensic work to be carried out.

Resident Graham Hughes, from West Ewell, said: “I’m very shocked to hear this has happened practically on our doorstep. This road is usually pretty quiet yet no one seems to have heard anything.

“Whoever was involved must have scarpered very quickly as there was no one around when the ambulances took him away.”

Detective Chief Inspector Maria Woodall said police were keen to speak to the driver of a black car, possibly a Nissan, which was seen on Cox Lane shortly after the attack took place.

She said: “This was a savage attack which has left Mr David fighting for his life.”

East Surrey’s Neighbourhood Superintendent Kul Verma added: “Understandably people in the local area will have concerns in the wake of this attack, but I would seek to reassure them that we have deployed significant resources to this investigation.”

If you have any information about Felipe David or the assault, ring the dedicated Surrey Police phone line on 0800 096 1233 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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