A WIBSEY councillor is lucky to be alive after he was hit over the head with a concrete slab in a violent attempted robbery.

Cllr David Green, a former leader of Bradford Council, escaped with only minor injuries after he was attacked from behind in Folly Hall Road at 6.45pm on Friday just moments after he withdrew cash from an ATM in his ward.

The Wibsey councillor, who was ousted as council leader in 2016, managed to land a punch on his attacker, who left empty handed.

READ MORE CRIME STORIES: Hate crimes rise across Bradford

The thug claimed to have a gun as he grappled with the councillor on the floor, but Cllr Green came away from the ordeal with only cuts and bruises.

He said: "It was a coward's attack.

"He came from behind me with what turned out to be a concrete block

"He didn't smack me over the back of the head, which could have been much more serious, but on the side of the head.

"He was shouting 'give me your f****** money' and tried to get in my jacket and kept telling me he has a gun.

"I don't think he did have a gun because he would have used that instead of a concrete block.

"He tried to get my wallet and we fought and struggled. When I managed to get a space I smacked him in the face and that seemed to do the trick."

The attacker ran off and Cllr Green warned the first member of the public he saw to avoid walking along the same street in case the man was still around.

He was able to phone the police and they took him to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The attack left Cllr Green with a long graze across the side of his head and a black eye.

"I think I was lucky partly because I turned when I heard him running behind me.

"If he had hit me on the back of the head then who knows what would have happened.

"It's important this guy is caught because if he was willing to use that level of violence on somebody like me, whose not exactly a small, shrinking violet, then what would he do to somebody a bit smaller."

Cllr Green returned to work yesterday and is adamant he is not going to let the ordeal stop him.

He added: "I'm not going to let the guy stop me from doing what I need to do.

"I've been working with the police and they have a description."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "A man approached the victim and struck him to the head with a brick and attempted to take his bag and wallet. The victim punched the suspect, who has walked away empty-handed.

"The suspect is described as a white male, aged in his mid to late 30s, approximately 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build with stubble to his face. He was wearing a dark coloured hat, a blue puffa type jacket over a dark coloured hoodie and dark coloured pants.

"Anyone who witnessed any part of this offence or with information about the person responsible is asked to call Bradford District CID via 101, quoting crime reference 13190058960.

"Information can also be given by using the 101 Live Chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website."