A DISABLED Little Hulton man -- with a mental age of just nine -- has been left blind in one eye after being attacked in the street.

Police are now appealing for members of the community to come forward in a bid to trace the thugs who hit Gregory Maddock, aged 29, in the face with a brick as he walked through the Amblecote estate to the shops.

Mr Maddock, who is also deaf, was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital after the attack just minutes away from his home in Burns Road.

A three-hour struggle by surgeons to save the sight in the stricken man's left eye failed.

Mr Maddock's father Roy, aged 56, who is his son's full time carer, told how Gregory's trip to the shops ended in horror when he returned covered in blood.

"Despite his disabilities Gregory needs his own space and time and I let him go to the shops," said Mr Maddock. "I just couldn't believe it when he returned. His injuries were appalling.

"We called for an ambulance straight away and he was taken to hospital but they could not save his sight. It will take him a long time to recover."

Mr Maddock senior said his son has suffered a torrent of insults and abuse in the past.

"He has been spat at and has stones thrown at him," he said. "It got to the stage where I was taking him away from here at the weekends to places like Blackpool just to give him a break from it."

He added: "I cannot put into words what I feel about the people who have done this to him but they are bullies and cowards."

Detectives at Little Hulton CID branded the incident as a "vicious and unprovoked attack" and urged anyone who knew anything about it to get in touch.

Det Con Brian Urmson, who is spearheading the investigation, said: "Because of the nature of Gregory's disabilities communication is a problem and we have been unable to get a description of his attackers.

"We will be waiting until he has recovered so we can ask him some questions through sign language."

Det Con Urmson added: "What we do know is that he left home at 6pm last Thursday and we believe he walked along Eastham Way into Cleggs Lane. He also walked past the Dukes Gate pub. He was home by 6.45pm so it happened quickly.

"We would ask anyone who saw Gregory last Thursday night or who knows anything about the attack to contact us."

Anyone with information can call Little Hulton CID on 0161 856 5285 or 0161 856 5272. Gregory Maddock, who has been blinded on one eye Ref: H3908/35