Police are hunting four robbers who beat a 22-year-old Bradford man to the ground and snatched his mobile phone.
The victim was treated in Bradford Royal Infirmary for facial injuries and shock after he was repeatedly struck with a rounders bat.
Detective Inspector Noel Divine, of Bradford North CID, today appealed for help to catch the "cowardly" attackers.
He said the man was robbed at the junction of Canal Road and Stanley Road, Bradford, at 1.45am on Sunday.
He was walking home alone after a night out in the city centre.
His assailants leapt out of two cars that pulled up next to him - a black VW Golf and a silver Vauxhall Astra with a large bore exhaust and silver alloy wheels.
The man was beaten around the head, knocked to the ground and then struck in the head and body.
Then the four robbers ran off with his mobile phone.
Det Insp Devine said the four were described as young Asian males.
One was around 18-22, slim, and wearing dark tracksuit bottoms and a dark hooded top.
"This appears to be an unprovoked and cowardly attack on a man walking home after a night out," Det Insp Devine said.
Anyone who saw the attack or who has any information is asked to contact Lawcroft House CID on 376259.
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