War veteran attacked in 'road rage' incident

A war veteran was punched and kicked in a road rage attack after two men mistook his courtesy wave for a two-fingered salute. Ronald Francis, 73, was driving home from an ex-servicemen's club in Portsmouth when they pulled him out of the car by his hair and attacked him.

Mr Francis, from Chichester, said: "I have seen my fair share of fighting, but to go to a branch meeting and meet old friends, and finish up as I did in hospital, is beyond my comprehension." Local businessmen have offered a reward of pounds 500 for information leading to the arrest of the men.

Police have been inundated with calls after a television appeal in the hunt for the killer of Stephen Cameron, 21, who was stabbed in front of his girlfriend by the driver of a Land-Rover Discovery near Swanley, Kent, last weekend.

A spokeswoman said: "People are naming names, some of which have been mentioned before . . . we hope there will be new lines of inquiry from the information, and we will solve this sooner rather than later." Rebecca Fowler

Saturday Story: Page 16