A dad has been left with horrific facial injuries after being brutally beaten by a gang of thugs.
Paul Jones, 33, had been out to buy cigarettes from the BP garage in Manchester Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, when he was attacked in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Four men confronted the dad-of-three outside The Mercury Motel, just moments after he had left the garage.
During the vicious attack, the men stamped on Mr Jones' head, leaving him requiring surgery to fix the severe wounds to the face.
They then made off with his bank card, leaving him injured in the street.
Mr Jones' sister, Jemma, explained: "He came out of the garage and someone asked him what he had on him.
"He said he only had cigarettes and his bank card. As he turned to walk off, four men jumped him from behind.
"They were stamping on his head. His lip and jaw look horrific.
"My brother is not a fighting person. He would not have said anything to cause this."
When the attack finished, Mr Jones tried to escape but was unable to due to the extent of his injuries.
He managed to call his girlfriend, who rushed to his aid along with the couple's three young children.
He was taken to hospital, with his injuries so severe that he was unable to give a statement to police about what happened, according to Jemma.
"I am still in shock," she added. "I have lived in Westhoughton all my life and have never heard of anything like this.
"It is a nice town and you would not expect something like this to happen.
"The worst bit is that his partner and children had to see him like that. It is just awful.
"The people who did this are a danger to society."
Jemma took to Facebook on Saturday morning to warn others about what had happened.
Greater Manchester Police have been approached for more information.
