HAMPSHIRE detectives were today continuing to comb through hours of CCTV footage in a bid to catch the man who strangled and torched a taxi driver.

Police hunting the attacker have renewed their appeal for the public's help in catching him.

Cabbie Derek Fletcher was left for dead following the late-night attack in which he was throttled and set alight.

The 52-year-old had been called from a phone box in Southampton Road, Eastleigh, in the early hours of Monday and picked the fare up at about 2.30am.

Minutes later, though, as the car passed under the M27 bridge in Stoneham Lane, the attacker wrapped a rope around the married driver's neck and pulled it tight until he passed out.

He then poured accelerant onto Mr Fletcher's lap, set him alight and ran off.

The pain brought him round and he staggered from his cab, tore off his burning trousers and called for help on his taxi radio.

He was rushed to Southampton General Hospital for emergency treatment.

Meanwhile staff at Eastleigh taxi firm Happy Cabs, where Mr Fletcher worked, have appealed for donations for their injured colleague. They can be contacted on 023 8065 1010.