A man has lost his left eye after being savagely mugged for just £2.30 in Otley.

Labourer Stephen Johnson, 48, of Shirley Close, had his head smashed against a wall when he was attacked by the lone mugger as he walked home from work.

Today, detectives appealed for information about the attack which happened in a ginnel in Otley town centre at 5pm last Thursday.

Mr Johnson was returning home from work at bathroom fitting manufacturers Armitage Monobond, in Ilkley Road, when he was attacked by a man who screamed: "Give me your money."

His face was smashed against the rough wall of the ginnel, badly injuring his eye. The attacker then pinned him down and rifled through his pockets, finding about £2.30 in change.

He made off, leaving Mr Johnson to stagger to a nearby pub where the alarm was raised.

Doctors at the Bradford Royal Infirmary fought to save his eye but the following morning broke the news to him that it was hopeless, and performed an operation to remove it.

Speaking from his hospital ward, Mr Johnson, who left Northern Ireland 13 years ago to escape the violence, said: "I had been walking home and looking forward to my holiday when it happened. I always walk that way home.

"When I came round my glasses were on the floor and I could hardly see anything. Blood was pouring out but I thought at first it was just coming from a head wound.

"He screamed in a very menacing way to give him the money and searched my pockets but all I had was change - £2.30 at the most.

"I don't know how I'm going to come to terms with losing my eye, although the company has said they will keep my job open for me which is something."

Today, detectives said they wanted to question a man who was seen sitting on a wall near the ginnel between Westgate and Kirkgate.

He is described as white, in his early 20s, with short, blond hair, a long, thin nose, and eyes very close together.

Inspector Nigel Hirst said: "This is a tragic thing to have happened and totally out of character in a place like Otley where the local community will be incensed. We are confident the person will have been seen by members of the public and we will release an E fit.''

Traders in Westgate shops were shocked at the incident.

Trevor Backhouse, of Patisserie Viennoise, said: "I can't believe something like this has happened in broad daylight.''

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