Pensioner attacked while walking home from mosque and left with broken hand

Victim was kicked in back, causing him to fall and hit his head

The 73-year-old was attacked in York Road, in the Kings Heath area (Google)

A man has been left with a broken hand after being subjected to an “appalling” attack while walking home from a Birmingham mosque.

The 73-year-old victim was kicked in the back, causing him to fall and hit his head, as the assault unfolded in York Road, in the Kings Heath area of the city, at 11pm on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said.

He was walking along the street when three men got out of a parked black vehicle, before one of their number ran up to the victim, kicking him. All three assailants then fled.

The injured man was taken to hospital, suffering a break to his hand and cuts to his face.

Sergeant Chris Gallon, of West Midlands Police, said: “This was an appalling attack on a member of the public who was heading home.”

He said officers would be taking an account from the victim, who remained in hospital, and making door-to-door enquiries as well as checking CCTV.

The attackers are described as two white men and one black man, all aged between 18 and 30, and all wearing tracksuits.

Sgt Gallon said the motive was “not clear” but that there was nothing to suggest any links to a recent attack, last week, on another elderly man who was set alight in the Edgbaston area of the city while walking home from a mosque.

A man had been charged and remanded into custody in connection with this attack, while the victim was recovering in hospital after suffering burns to his head, hands and chest.