A SOUTHAMPTON man who was savagely beaten by a gang of youngsters, some as young as ten, has spoken of his ordeal.

The father-of-one was attacked as he tried to chase them away from his car that they had broken into.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo 29-year-old Andre described how he was ambushed by the gang of up to 15 youths after he caught three of them inside his car.

He said: "I heard this cracking noise and looked out to see about three kids sitting inside my car. I did not think twice about it and just ran out. I pulled one of them out and then I had alcohol thrown in my eyes and before I knew it there were about 15 of them all on me.

"They used my head like a football. I tried to get away a couple of times after I heard one of them shouting 'Stab him!' but they kept tripping me up and giving me another kicking."

Andre was left with two front teeth knocked out along with bruising over his body and face as a result of the attack on Proctor Close in Thornhill.

"I felt really dazed but the pain came later," he said.

"Looking back on it I would still have gone out there because I would be worried they might steal the car and knock someone down with it. I couldn't live with myself if I knew I could have stopped them. At least I did that."

Andre, who has taken a week off work to recover from the attack that happened about 10.30pm on Sunday, has had to pay hundreds of pounds in car repairs along with dental costs.

Police officers, who have been praised by Andre for their response to his ordeal, believe the same gang is responsible for damage to at least ten other cars in the Thornhill area.

Andre said: "They not only need to be punished they need to be retaught what is right and wrong."

As reported in the Daily Echo arsonists went on the rampage over Bank Holiday Monday, leaving a trail of destruction estimated at tens of thousands of pounds.

Police have described the gang as vicious and dangerous and have appealed foranyone with information about either the arson attacks or the assault to contact them immediately.

Anyone with information can contact PC Leon Atkins at Bitterne on 0845 045 4545 or use the anonymous Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.